


Somewhere Between Uranus and Saturn We Might Find Forever

by whyidontknow1



Series: I Would Do Anything For You [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: I Don't Even Know, Love/Hate, M/M, Some Humor, Way too many Uranus cracks, Zayn is kind of bossy for an assistant, adult fic, bottom both, but no one minds, niall is very affectionate, some smut, top both
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 14:03:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1307470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whyidontknow1/pseuds/whyidontknow1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's welcomed into his new position by pretty much everyone except Louis Tomlinson who dislikes him so much he does petty things to make Harry's work life miserable. When one of those petty things goes too far Harry literally stumbles upon a unique way to share his love of the planets and space with Louis. The thing is Louis really likes the lessons, but the teacher he still has a problem with. At least that’s what he keeps telling himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I guess an AU where Louis thinks he has a reason to hate Harry, but he really doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Somewhere Between Uranus and Saturn We Might Find Forever

**Author's Note:**

> This was done as a gift for my best friend Kaitlin who happens to be the person that introduced me to Louis and Harry, and everything One Direction. 
> 
> She asked for a hate/love story, and a story based off Bruno Mar’s ‘When I Was Your Man’. Both are completed and posted under the I Would Do Anything For You Series. 
> 
> I’m addicted to adult au Louis and Harry, and I will probably always ship Liam and Zayn.
> 
> I know nothing about the insurance industry.
> 
> This is told from both pov’s.
> 
> Kaitlin's love of space inspired this, and I'm pretty sure my love of unrealistic romance novels played a huge role as well.

“Here’s your culprit, Mr. Styles. I'm sure it won't be a surprise to you.”

Harry's standing outside of his just exterminated office, and Gary the exterminator is holding out a small plastic bag that has two pieces of red candy covered in tiny black specks in it.

The black specks are ants, and for the third Monday in a row the miniscule creatures have found their way into Harry's office. He's only been working in the office for five months, and besides an incident in the breakroom where one of the staff failed to properly clean a can of spilled soda there haven't been any other problems with ants in the building.

After the tiny invasion in the breakroom a memo was sent through the office about a species of ant that thrived on food (sugary foods in particular), and the importance of cleaning properly and not leaving food out for long periods of time.Two weeks later Harry came in to work to find his office covered in the unwanted guests, but he didn’t give it much thought especially with the recent issue in the breakroom. Besides people were in and out of his office.

It was entirely in the realm of possibility someone could have dropped the candy Gary found, but when the second trail of ants led to more candy Harry became suspicious. Specifically more teddy bear shaped candy, and looking at the ant covered jellies in Gary’s hand right now, Harry's positive the candy is being left in his office deliberately. He also knows a thin skinned parasite who just happens to favor the sweets so much he keeps a stash in his desk. 

“Thanks, Gary. I’m pretty sure we won't have to call you out for this again,” Harry informs the exterminator with deliberate certainty. 

“No problem, Mr. Styles. That's what contracts are for, but if I didn't know any better I’d think someone was doing this on purpose.” 

“If I didn't know any better I’d agree with you,” Harry replies blandly, and he extends his hand to the exterminator before turning in the direction of the offices on the other side of the building. The side where a certain Louis Tomlinson works. Where the thin skinned parasite works to be exact.

\----

Harry jumped at the chance when his step uncle asked him to consider applying for the district manager of the Corporate and Small Business Division at the Ross Life Insurance Group. He'd already been with the company for six years drawing up and rewriting policies, but the work had become so tedious and boring he had been seriously considering changing careers.

Two months later Harry was given the position after a rigorous interviewing process, and Louis Tomlinson, the district manager of Individual and Family Policies was given with the task of familiarizing him with his job. Unfortunately they got off on the wrong foot when Harry mistook Louis for a secretary, and asked him to fetch him a cup of tea.

It was Harry's first day. He was nervous, and how was he to know who the other office head was when they hadn't ever been introduced.

Still, he wasn't rude when he asked for the tea. He even tempered the request with would you mind, but he must not have tempered it enough because the concoction Louis sat in front him a few minutes later definitely wasn't tea, and for the most part he's been nothing but a total shit since. This despite Harry apologizing profusely when their regional director formally introduced them at the beginning of the meeting.

To keep things from going from bad to worse Harry's tried to ignore Louis' behavior, but thanks to his office becoming an ant habitat, he's through being on the receiving end of the petty vindictiveness. What sane person holds onto a grudge that long over a mistake anyone could have made?

“Hi, Harry,” Zayn Malik, Louis' personal assistant greets Harry when he would have just walked pass the mahogany desk.

Like Louis, Zayn wasn't exactly friendly in the beginning, but recently his attitude has thawed significantly. Harry would go so far as considering him a friend. It's the only reason he stops.

“Your boss in?” Harry asks, holding out the incriminating evidence as an explanation for his visit. Zayn's struggle for something to say is all the proof Harry needs. “Don’t bother announcing me."

Zayn's, "Harry wait,” comes too late because Harry’s already walking through the door to Louis’ office.

\----

If Harry had to say something positive about his irritating colleague it would be that he takes his job seriously, and to prove his point Louis has the decency to look away from his computer screen when Harry walks in.

Although he was impatient and unfriendly, Louis did do a thorough job of introducing Harry to all aspects of his job, and he knows without the expert guidance it would have taken him a lot longer to find his footing in the company. It's another reason he's kept quiet for so long, but enough is enough

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Louis asks amiably enough, but there's zero welcome on his face. 

Harry's struck again at how handsome his coworker is, and for the umpteenth time he squashes the attraction he’s been dealing with since Louis first walked through the doors of the conference room all those months ago. He might be a bit more successful at it If only Louis' eyes weren’t a perfect shade of blue. Uranus blue to be exact.

Harry knows it sounds silly, but the description is perfect. At least to the planet geek in him it is. He loves the solar system. Not once in the hundreds of times that he's looked has Harry failed to be fascinated at how the planets appear through the powerful lens of the telescope on his balcony. Sometimes he get's so lost hours fly by before he realizes it.

The vibrant blues of Uranus was the first thing to come to Harry's mind the first time he looked into Louis' eyes, and he's made the comparison more times than he can count in the past five months.

It's not just Louis' eyes though. Maybe if his jawline wasn’t so cut, or maybe if his cheekbones weren't a work of art. Or possibly if his body wasn't the perfect ratio of muscles and leanness, and his arse wasn't made for grabbing. Maybe if Louis wasn’t so fucking flawless it would be easier for Harry to deal with his attraction to the petty snot.

Sometimes the ironies in life really suck shit. “This stops now, Louis,” Harry says menacingly, back on task.

“What stops now?” Louis responds with raised eyebrows, humor taking the place of the ambivalence in his eyes.

“No more candy conveniently left in my office. No more ants. No more trying to make my life hell," Harry speaks each word in clipped fashion. He ends the set of demands by throwing the plastic bag onto to the desk, but Louis barely glances it.

“What are you talking about, Styles? I have never tried to make your life hell.”

“You're joking, right? You haven’t exactly been welcoming to me, and you definitely never hid your dislike for me. Now you’re carrying it too far, and I’ve had it. If you know what’s good for you this will be the end of your infantile tactics to annoy me because I’m about thirty thousand ants past annoyed.”

“First, I think someone’s a little too full of themselves. Second, I’m quite generous. I share my candy, and that means anyone could have left that in your office. Third, that leaves me out because I wouldn’t waste a single piece of my candy on you,” Louis ends snidely.

“The way your arse is filling out those trousers I could almost believe you. but we both know you're lying, don't we?,” Harry retaliates, a bit more smugly, and the look of shock on Louis’ face is priceless.

“Did you just call me fat?”

“Or did I say you have a big arse?” Harry's patience fast running out. “Look, you and I both know you’re behind my unwanted visitors, and I really suggest you stop it now," he gives Louis one last meaningful look before he turns to leave, and if not for the word Louis mutters Harry would've left satisfied that he had made his point.

“Did you just call me a dick?”

“Or did I say prick?” Louis mimics. “I really can’t recall seeing as I usually alternate when I refer to you, so take your pick.”

The words are snide, and the mask is off. If it had ever really been on, and there’s no mistaking the pure look of dislike on Louis’ face.

That does it for Harry, and there's purpose in every step as he moves to the other side of the desk. He spins Louis around so that he gasps. Harry leans down, bracing his hands on each side of the chair, and he brings his face so close to Louis’ that their noses almost touch.

“If you want a dick I’ll give you a dick,” Harry starts, but instantly realizes those probably weren’t the best choice of words with it being no secret that Louis is gay. Well it’s too late to take them back now. “If I see anything in my office that even resembles an ant I promise you’ll regret it.”

“And what will you do, Harry? Call my mum to tell her I’ve been a naughty boy. Or maybe you have higher up connections you can run whining to,” Louis challenges, and Harry instantly knows the prick is referring to his Uncle William.

His uncle being a board member was the only thing he worried about when he accepted the position. Even now it's not like he brags about the relationship. He only revealed it to their regional director after he was offered the job. Since then he's only mentioned it to the person he replaced, who for some reason had been extremely interested in how he got the job.

If he had wanted to Harry could have kept the relationship hidden especially since he doesn't share a surname with his uncle, but he decided to be honest, thinking it would be more suspect if the information were divulged later. Besides, his uncle only told him about the job. He didn't pull any strings for Harry to actually get it, and until the remark Louis just made, there hasn't been a remote hint of it being an issue with any of the other staff.

Harry has no intention of letting it become one now, but his _“No, I’m just going to file an harassment complaint against you,”_ is awkwardly delayed because all of a sudden he notices the brown flecks in the perfect blue of Louis’ eyes. Then he can't help noticing how unexpectedly long Louis' eyelashes are, and Harry falls a little bit more in lust because of them.

There’s a faint stubble covering Louis' jawline, and the beginnings of a mustache rest on his top lip. His lips are slightly chapped, and Harry wouldn't mind kissing them smooth. Louis' breath smells like cherries. With every breath puffs of sweet hit Harry in the face, and he almost loses his grip on the chair when Louis moistens his lips with the tip of his tongue.

Harry watches with keen interest until Louis’ tongue is back in his mouth, and shock twists his intestines when his eyes travel back up to Louis' only to find the same heated appraisal in them. His mind kind of goes blank, and Harry will forever blame the undeniable lust in Louis' eyes for the brilliant question that pops out of his mouth.

“Do you know anything about Uranus?” Harry asks, wanting to kick his own arse the second the words are out.

“What?” Louis looks bewildered. The desire in his eyes doused by confusion.

“I’ve been fascinated with the solar system since I was a little boy, and Uranus happens to be one of my favorite planets,” Harry responds. He really meant for that bit to sound threatening. Something along the lines of him kicking Louis' arse to Uranus and back, but it ended up sounding more like the beginnings of a really boring autobiography.

“Bully for you, but I need to know this why?” Louis asks snidely, but when straightens and steps away from the chair, Harry doesn't miss the look of relief on his coworker's face.

“If you don’t leave me alone you’ll find out,” Harry warns, and this time he’s pretty certain he sounded threatening until Louis looks at him likes he's grown another head.

“That has to be the lamest threat in the history of threats,” Louis mocks. Then he has the balls to laugh behind his hand, and look awfully cute doing it.

“Laugh it up now, mate,” Harry cautions, turning to leave because the conversation is over. Not at all because he’s mortified.

“I’m really shaking in my too tight trousers,” Louis hurls at his back, “and for the record I am not, and will not ever be your mate.”

Harry knows the words were intended to cut, but he can’t concern himself with it because he’s too busy trying to walk out of the office with as much dignity as he entered it with.

\----

“Conceited arsehole,” Louis mumbles under his breath. “And I’ve heard my bum is quite nice thank you.”

Louis opens the drawer containing his Haribo cherry candy while continuing to mumble not so nice things about Harry, and he begins to throw away small bag after small bag of the sweet treats. It’s not like he eats a lot of the jellies anyway. He just likes having them on hand.

He's still muttering, and emptying the drawer when Zayn comes in unannounced.

“Sorry, I couldn’t stop him. You okay?” he begins, and Louis looks up with a bewildered expression.

“Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Harry just seemed kind of angry about the candy," Zayn tells him before taking his favorite seat, and Louis recalls the reason Harry came to his office with a proud smile.

Of course he was the one who left the candy in Harry's office. He came up with the idea thanks to the memo about the ants loving sugary foods. From there it was easy to come back in on Saturday mornings, and leave his sticky treats behind. He had to wait until Harry's office had been cleaned for the weekend, or otherwise the cleaning crew would've found the jellies. Still, Louis didn't lie when he told Harry he wouldn't waste a single piece of candy on him. That's because technically he wasted seven pieces.

“He was in a bit of a rage,” Louis smiles meanly.

“He had every right to be,” Zayn responds, siding with the enemy, but Louis ignores him.

“I think he threatened me by promising me a lesson on Uranus,” he ridicules instead, conveniently leaving out the part about him wanting to do an in depth space exploration of Harry's mouth just seconds before he made the bonkers threat.

“Are you sure he said Uranus, and not your anus?” Zayn asks, and it's obvious he's trying really hard not to laugh.

He's been Louis' assistant the entire five years he’s worked for the Ross Life Insurance Group, his best friend for just a little less. Most of the time Louis loves Zayn, but sometimes he wishes for a more dutiful friend and assistant. Someone who would back down under his harsh gaze. Not someone who'd laugh harder because of it. Like now.

“Pretty sure it was the planet you wanker. Is he even into men?” Louis wonders out loud. He has a guess, but so far it's only that. He hasn't put in any effort to get to know Harry outside of work, and he certainly wouldn't lower himself to discuss Harry's sexual preference with anyone in the office. Except his assistant, and that only today.

“Would you if he was gay?” Zayn asks offhandedly, but there’s something more serious in his eyes.

“Definitely not,” Louis denies harshly, telling Zayn the same lie he’s been telling himself for five months. “Seriously, Harry’s the biggest prick I’ve ever met. And the weirdest,” he adds as an afterthought.

“And the hottest,” Zayn contributes.

“Exactly,” Louis agrees, and his eyes widen when he realizes what he agreed with. “Fuck you, Zayn.” 

“No thanks, and don’t you think it’d be wise to back off a little?” Zayn goes back to being serious.”

“Not a chance. Harry doesn’t deserve to happy here,” Louis responds with an even more vindictive gleam in his eyes.

“I don’t think Harry’s that person Louis. He really seems nice, and just because he actually has a family member on the board doesn't automatically mean Ned was totally honest about him.”

“Don’t let his charm fool you Zayn," Louis warns, more incensed at mention of former colleagues name.

Ned Guinn worked for Ross' for twenty six years before Harry replaced him, and before he left he confided in Louis that he was being pushed out for the nephew of a board member. This after dedicating the greater part of his life to the company. Although Louis didn't associate with Ned socially, they had a really good working relationship, and after hearing the outrageous story Louis became a champion for his ousted coworker's cause. He took on the responsibility of getting even with his replacement, but really he just wanted Harry to suffer a little discomfort in the beginning. Maybe feel a bit unwelcome, but now he can't let it go.

“I’m not," Zayn breaks in on Louis' thoughts. "Just using my rational and unbiased skill of observation."

Louis refuses to keep rehashing the subject, but there's absolutely no way in hell he’s giving up his vendetta. “Maybe you’re right. It's time to give it a rest,” he lies, sounding resigned.

Zayn must believe Louis because he switches to another topic after making one last snide point. “I know I’m right, and why were you throwing away your sweets when I came in?”

“Finally going to start my New Year's resolution to eat less candy,” Louis answers, amazed at how fast he thought of the lie.

“Okay,” Zayn sounds skeptical, but he doesn't push the subject. “Don’t forget your two o’clock,” he reminds Louis before getting up to leave.

“Zayn?” Louis calls out before he gets to the door, and his assistant turns around to face him again.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think it's time for me to move up a trouser size maybe?” Louis asks hesitantly, and Zayn looks puzzled.

“No, and why would you ask that?”

“Guess I'm having silly thoughts," Louis replies, unwilling to repeat Harry's insult. "You can send Sarah in when she gets here,” he ends the conversation, ignoring another skeptical look.

The second the door closes Louis go's back to muttering to himself. “Just as I thought,” HE says before he starts rescuing the candy out of the bin. “Not only are you job stealing jerk, but you're a liar as well. ”

Louis' mouth definitely doesn't comply when his mind attempts to add sexy and wickedly attractive to the angry list.

\----

Harry's having a post traumatic experience of his own in the office he has to use until his airs out. He can't believe he just offered Louis a dick, insulted his bum, and managed to work Uranus into the same anxiety inducing conversation.

“No,” Harry moans before plopping his head down on the desk, remembering how Louis laughed at him. He's probably at this very moment still having a good laugh at his expense.

Harry wanted Louis the second he looked in his eyes, and before today he's held his tongue waiting for Louis to see that he's not some conceited jerk who asks people to fetch things for the fun of it. Despite Louis' annoying traits Harry's attraction to him has only deepened, and a small, hopeful part of him believed Louis was just attracted to him.

Harry could never put a finger on why he believed it, but the heated look Louis just gave him kind of proved it. Now after his little display there's zero chance Louis will act on those feelings. If he ever would have.

“Fuck!” Harry groans into hard surface.

Louis is so full of himself there's always the chance he'll ignore the weak threats. Maybe Harry even owes the ants a little gratitude. He definitely never would've gotten the close up view of Louis without them. And what a spectacular view it was.

Harry sighs as he powers on the computer he's becoming all to familiar with thanks to Louis, and a in a stunning turnabout he's not at all opposed to the possibility of finding more of the pesky sugar lovers in his office again. Especially if it leads to another near kissing experience with his nemesis.

\----

Harry didn't get his wish. He walked into an ant free office the following Monday, and in the ten days since Louis hasn't done anything to antagonize him. Sure he's been standoffish the few times Harry's seen him, but other than that, it seems Louis listened to his warning.

Harry's not sure if he's upset about it or not, but today he doesn't have time to dwell on the matter. Right now he's going over the file of a potential new client that would be a huge addition to the company if he can convince them to go with the Ross Group. He won't make his actual pitch for another two weeks, but after receiving an email informing all attending staff the meeting with their regional director had been pushed back half an hour he decided to add the details to his presentation.

He’s so engrossed in the the file he fails to notice Caroline until she’s standing in front of his desk. “I’ve emailed you the report. Everything you highlighted should be included, but remember it’s a little rushed. I'll have the printed version on your desk after the meeting."

“Thanks, Watson. I’m sure it’s excellent," Harry tells her, and as usual Caroline sighs dramatically at the poor Sherlock Holmes imitation. "I hope the meeting delay helped a little," he adds, feeling bad for rushing his assistant.

“What delay? The meeting is still scheduled for one,” Caroline speaks without doubt, her caramel colored forehead lined with a frown.

Caroline of all people would know if the time for the meeting had changed. Not only does she have to keep up with Harry's schedule, but today she has to attend the meeting with him.

Harry immediately senses a sneaky rat named Louis Tomlinson is behind the email he received, and he’d bet the solar system that no one else in the office received it.

“Must have misinterpreted something I overheard,” Harry lies before looking at his watch. If he hurries he could already be in the conference room when Louis walks in expecting him not to be there.

The pure thrill from imagining the look of shock on Louis' face when he sees his little attempt didn't work has Harry jumping up from his chair. With the plan in his mind, and a glint in his eyes, he grabs the company issued IPad from his desk before walking towards the door.

“Guess I’ll head on up,” Harry tells Caroline before leaving her standing in his office. Out of habit he takes the stairs to the second level instead of the lift, and in his rush misses a step near the top stair, causing him to lose his balance.

Harry stumbles backwards, and someone anxiously calling his name is the last thing he remembers before his head makes contact with the concrete floor.

\----

Louis is alternating between watching the giant clock on the wall, and looking at the conference room doors waiting for Harry to make an embarrassed entrance. The email said the meeting had been pushed back by half an hour which means Harry should be walking in right about now.

The bimonthly meetings with Liam usually lasts for hours, and Louis knew thirty minutes was just enough time to keep Harry from getting questioned, but enough of a tardy to take the snot out of him. It’s not like he would have missed anything important at this point, and with that in mind Louis practiced several different versions of the smirk he'll wear when Harry walks in late.

Today he's missed even less because the start of the meeting was delayed a few minutes by the sound of sirens which had everyone chattering excitedly. Whatever the emergency was it had to be in close proximity to their building, but with no windows in the large room there was no way to tell exactly how close, and pretty soon the buzz died down.

Now the only thing really bothering Louis right now is Caroline's absence. He expected Harry's assistant to be on time, but maybe Harry told her about the message, and they're trying to figure out it's origin.

That's a hiccup Louis didn't consider when he was carrying out his dastardly plot. "Shit," he moans silently. Maybe he should have put a little more thought into his plan.

When the customer service floor manager begins the first presentation Louis takes another long look around the room to make sure he didn't miss Harry or Caroline come in, but his search is interrupted when Liam stands up, and makes an abrupt exit.

“What do you suppose that’s about?” Zayn asks over the other hushed conversations going on in the room.

“Don’t have a clue,” Louis responds with dread crawling over his skin. He has no idea why, but he's starting to feel like he might hurl.

“Andrea said Liam received a text before he rushed out,” Zayn whispers, talking about the salesperson who was sitting next to their Liam, and of course she happens to be the person who's let her interest in Harry be known from the beginning. Although as far as Louis can tell Harry hasn't responded to Andrea's flirtations, not that it matters to him in the slightest. He just thinks Harry can do better than the overly bleached blonde.

Thankfully Louis is saved from having to respond to Zayn when the regional director comes back in, and goes directly to the podium at the head of the room.

“Listen guys, Harry Styles has been in an slight accident, and I'm afraid we’re going to have to reschedule this for another day," Liam informs the staff. "You’re all free to return to your work,” he adds when no one moves.

“Is Harry going to be alright?” Andrea, the woman Louis is definitely not jealous of asks.

“I can only tell you he was knocked unconscious when he fell in the stairwell. Caroline said he was rushing to get to the meeting. Thankfully she was following him with his jacket or who knows how long he would have been in there," Liam says, obviously troubled by the thought. "On a good note he was conscious when the medics arrived, and he recognized both Caroline and myself. Other than Harry still needing to be checked over by a doctor, and Caroline following him to the hospital, I really don't anything else right now, but I’ll be sure to keep you guys posted,” his tone isn’t inviting of further conversation, and the room immediately begins to clear out in a bustle of noise.

"Fuck! Fuck!" Louis mutters, forgetting that his own assistant is right behind him..

“What was that for? Please tell me you didn't have anything to do with this,” Zayn demands before Louis can make his own exit.

“Maybe. I don't know," Louis whispers frantically because there's a chance Harry's fall had nothing to do with the email. "We can’t talk about this in here."

“Following you,” Zayn responds with a nod in the direction of the conference room doors.

“Louis, would you mind if I borrowed your assistant for a bit?” Liam holds them up before they can leave.

“Not a problem,” Louis replies, never in his life so thankful for a reprieve.

“This isn't over with,” Zayn grates against Louis' ear before turning to Liam, and Louis has no doubts that it’s not.

\----

By the time Zayn walks in his office close to an hour later Louis is nail biting anxious for any news on Harry’s condition. “How is he?” he asks urgently.

“Liam said it’s only a mild concussion, and they’ve agreed to let him go home with conditions," Zayn drops down in the seat across from Louis.

The news does little to comfort Louis because he never intended for Harry to get hurt. It was only an ill thought out attempt to make him miserable.

“What did you do, Louis?” Zayn repeats his earlier question, but it’s tinged with a little less accusation now.

“I sent him an email saying the meeting was pushed back half an hour, but I swear I only wanted him to see that his little threats didn't intimidate me.”

“And maybe show him up in front of Liam?” Zayn guesses correctly, and Louis can only stare at him with regret in his eyes. “What was your plan when Harry explained why he was late? Did you even think that far ahead? Do you ever think that far ahead?”

Louis knows he acts rashly sometimes, but it still hurts to hear it. "I didn’t want him to get hurt,” he really needs Zayn to believe him.

“Of course you didn’t, but you have to see your little vendetta has to stop.”

“I do see it now. What the fuck have I been doing, Zayn?” Louis by no means likes Harry, but it was childish and unprofessional of him to leave the candy in Harry's office, and then top it off by sending the stupid email. It's more shameful that Harry had to get hurt for him to realize it.

“At least you’re getting a chance to make it up to him,” Zayn replies, but a knock prevents Louis from asking what he means.

“Come in,” Louis instructs, surprised when Liam opens the door.

“Good, Zayn you’re already here,” Liam smiles when he takes the chair beside the person he just greeted with eyebrow raising warmth.

“What’s going on?” Louis asks when neither of them seem to be in any hurry to look away from each other.

“I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet,” Zayn answers a question Louis didn’t hear Liam ask.

“Tell me what?” Louis doesn't bother hiding his building impatience.

“I’m sure Zayn updated you on Harry’s conditional release,” Liam states, and Louis nods. “Because it's a head injury he has to be watched closely, and someone has to stay with him twenty four hours a day through Saturday. His mum can’t make it down until Friday morning, and normally we'd hire a homecare nurse to stay with him, but Zayn pointed out he’d probably be more comfortable with a close friend.”

“So is Caroline staying with him?” Louis asks quietly.

“No, she has a young baby at home, and Harry’s only sister is in the states. There's one other friend, but he’s leaving for some type of music thing tonight, and won’t be back until late next week,” Liam answers.

“Well who’s staying with him, Zayn?” Louis questions again, stressing his assistants name.

“Actually, Zayn suggested you might want the job since you and Harry are such good friends," Liam answers the question.

“You wouldn’t want Harry to have to deal with strangers taking care of him on top of having a nagging concussion would you, Louis?” Zayn asks before Louis can think of a response for Liam that doesn't include several four letter swear words.

“If it's a problem we can easily make other arrangements,” Liam offers, looking between Louis and Zayn, frowning worriedly.

“I wonder why Harry was rushing to meeting in the first place?” Zayn asks suggestively, this time before Louis can tell Liam he sure as hell can make other arrangements.

"Caroline said he thought the meeting was delayed, but I have no idea why. I guess until Harry's able to tell us himself we should just be grateful he’s going to be okay,” Liam replies, looking briefly at Zayn before turning back to Louis. "What do you say, Louis? Will you stay with him?"

"Yeah, what do you say boss?" Zayn repeats the question.

“Looks like I don’t have a choice,” Louis answers quietly, not breaking eye contact with his former best friend.

“Great,” Liam sounds relieved. "I’ve already cleared it with corporate, and you don’t have to report to back work until Monday. Take Friday, and the rest of the weekend to rest up,” he tacks on as if it'll make Louis' plight more appealing.

“Harry’s friend is staying with him until you collect everything you need, and he’ll give you any other instructions when you get there,” Zayn adds, and Louis looks down to hide the fury in his eyes.

“Well, that’s it for me. I’ll be in touch with the rescheduled date for the meeting. Louis, you'll call me if there's a need, I'm sure?” Liam asks when he stands up.

"I'm sure," Louis responds pensively.

“Bye, Li,” Zayn speaks softly.

“I’ll be seeing you, yeah?” Liam responds just as softly, only his face has a red tint to it.

Louis observes the exchange with a frown wondering who the hell _Li_ , but it's forgotten the second the door closes. “Manipulative bastard! What kind of best friend are you, and by the way you’re fired,” he spits.

“Clearly the kind who looks out for their friend. If you and Harry are close then it’s not likely that you’ve done anything wrong, and saying you’d stay with him seemed like a natural progression,” Zayn says it like it should be obvious, but Louis sees the devious sparkle in his eyes.

“I don’t believe you for one second, and what am I supposed to do with him for an entire day, and two nights?”

“He’ll probably be out of it mostly, but when he's not maybe get to know him,” Zayn suggests, and he adds, “Just a thought,” when Louis looks at him like he’s crazy. “Talk to him, Louis. Ask for answers. I don’t know ogle him while he sleeps. You do it enough when he’s awake."

“Shut it, Zayn! I absolutely do not ogle, Harry,” Louis denies emphatically.

“Yeah, you do. When you’re not pretending to glare at him," Zayn assures Louis. "Anyways, I’m sure you’ll find something to occupy your time. Just think if you hadn’t left that email none of this would be happening," Zayn says pointedly, and Louis feels guiltier. Probably like Zayn intended.

“I’m never forgiving you for this, and you're still fired."

“You forget I know all your secrets,” Zayn sounds unaffected by the threat as he moves around the desk. He bends to kiss Louis on the top of his head, and pat him on the shoulder before regally exiting the office.

Resigned to his fate, Louis stares at the closed door wondering if this is how people feel after they receive the kiss of death.

\----

Harry has a headache, and a slightly queasy stomach. Other than that he’s fine considering the hard fall.

After spending hours in the emergency department he's finally in his own bedroom, and right now he’s more dazed from learning that Louis Tomlinson agreed to stay with him than from the hit to his head.

“Are you sure Caroline said Louis?” Harry asks his best friend and neighbor, Niall Horan, a hundred percent positive he heard wrong.

“Mate, do you think I'd get that name wrong considering how much you've mentioned it the last few months?” Niall counters with his familiar Irish brogue.

Niall was already living in the building when Harry moved in three years ago. His second night in the apartment Niall showed up at his door with a hug, beer, and burgers. They’ve been best friends since. Not that Harry ever had a choice in the matter.

“He hates me,” Harry says more to himself than to Niall.

“Apparently not as much as you think, now close your eyes. You’re supposed to be resting, Haz,” Niall chides.

“M’not sleepy,” Harry pouts, but his best friend's not having it.

“Then don’t sleep. Just give your eyes a wee break.”

“No.”

“Harry, this is me turning the lights off, and leaving the room. Now close those pretty greens, will you?” Niall orders with only the tiniest hint of frustration before he shuts the door.

He's right, Harry should be resting, but how is he supposed to rest when all he can think about is Louis being in his apartment. Louis taking care of him. Louis touching him. On second thought, maybe he should be more frightened of all those things instead of being curious.

Why in the name of everything in space would Louis ever agree to stay with him? In the five months since they've been working together Harry can't remember anything but animosity coming from Louis, and now he's agreed to be his nurse.

Before leaving the candy in Harry's office Louis' main method of antagonism was a frosty attitude, and even frostier communication. Now with the ants and the email it looks like he's moving to another phase of his ridiculousness. Hopefully he'll rethink things before he does something...

“Fuck! The email!” Harry almost shouts, thin winces when his head starts throbbing.

The memory of his fall has been a little sketchy since he came to, but the emergency ward physician told Harry memory lapses were normal with concussions. She said that it would be best if no one told him anything to jog his memory. That everything would come back naturally, and in its own time. Looks like she was right.

“You little shit!"

Of course that's why Louis is staying with him. He probably volunteered so he could finish the job or at the least pressure Harry to keep quiet. Louis for certain never wasted opportunities when they presented themselves, and Harry doesn't think he should either. It would almost be wrong not to give the jerk a small dose of his own medicine.

Harry stifles a yawn. His head even feels better now that he has answers, and the thought of payback has him smiling when he finally closes his eyes.

\----

“Hi,” Louis says to the extremely blonde person who opens the door to Harry’s flat. The same blonde person who now has him wrapped in a tight hug.

“Hi, I’m Niall, Harry’s best friend and neighbor. You’re Louis, right? Come on in,” the blond person steps back to let Louis in the apartment and close the door.

“S’good to meet you,” Louis says, a little dazed by the enthusiastic hello.

“Same, but I’m going to have to rush through this because I have to leave like an hour ago,” Niall tells him without any kind of censure.

“Sorry about that,” Louis delayed as long as he could. Now he feels like he owes Harry's friend a real apology.

“No problem. We'll start with doctor’s instructions, okay?" Niall overlooks the apology. "For tonight Harry has to be checked on every two hours. You have to make sure his pupils are the same size, and make sure he responds and recognizes you. Tomorrow it moves to every four hours. Not that he’s sleeping much. He's actually acting like child, but according to the instructions they sent home with him, complaining and mood swings are common with concussion patients.”

Niall keeps talking, but Louis is already lost.

“He has to be helped to the loo because he gets dizzy when he stands up. Ice packs for his head twice a day, and you may have to warm him some soup, or make him a sandwich later. Been a bit sick at the stomach so he hasn’t eaten anything since he got home. Also been complaining about a headache, but he can’t have anything stronger than two paracetamol every four hours.”

Louis stands and listens, his face not masking how uncomfortable he is.

“You okay?” Niall asks. “I know it’s a lot to take in, and any other time I’d be more than willing to stay.”

“No, it just seems to me that Harry would have been better off in the hospital,” Louis replies.

“Well, it’s only a mild concussion, and as long as he has someone to make sure he doesn't develop any of the symptoms I mentioned, there’s no need for him to take up a hospital bed that someone else can use. The doctor’s words, not mine. Or Caroline’s, which is who repeated them to me,” Niall tells him.

“Makes sense,” Louis says, understanding a little more, but still overwhelmed.

“I left Harry’s card, and a list of his favorite restaurants on the kitchen counter if he wants you to order out, and to save you the hassle of having to get up every couple of hours I suggest you just sleep with him tonight. It’s what I'd do, and it’s definitely a big enough bed. If that's a problem you can take the bedroom across from his.”

“No problem,” Louis lies to reassure Harry's friend, but really what kind of threat can a man with a concussion pose?

“His mum will be here Friday morning. You’ll love Anne, she’s awesome. She’s also very upset that she couldn’t make it down right away, and will probably call you a hundred times before she arrives. I’ll give you both our numbers before I leave in case you have questions, or if Harry gets worse,” Naill says the last part with a worried frown. “Maybe I should just cancel."

“A big opportunity?” Louis asks, wondering how someone like Harry could inspire such loyalty.

“A once in a lifetime opportunity,” Niall amends.

“Well, that settles it. You’re going to your gig, and Harry will be fine. I’ll even text you regular updates,” Louis says, if possible feeling even worse about sending the email.

“That would be great, but only if you’re sure,” Niall still sounds hesitant. "Listen, I didn't want to dwell on this with Harry for too long, but he believes you hate him. I'm hoping you being here means he's mistaken.

“I know I can come off as an arsehole sometimes, but I don't hate him," Louis says, distinguishing hate and dislike in his head. "I'm hoping after today we can leave all of the misunderstandings behind us, and I promise to take really good care of him."

“Thanks, mate. I feel a little better about leaving him now," Niall gives Louis trust he knows he doesn't deserve, but for some reason is determined to earn. "I guess we can look in on him, and I’ll say my goodbyes if he’s awake.”

“I’m behind you,” Louis responds, not at all looking forward to seeing the person who could have been seriously hurt because of him.

\----

Harry woke up when he heard the doorbell, and in a moment of confusion he got up to answer it, making it as far as opening his bedroom door before everything came back, but since he was already up he decided to listen in on Niall's and Louis' conversation. He only moved away from the door when he heard Niall suggest they check on him, but only to stand beside the bed because he wants to add to Louis' guilt. Not lesson it in any way.

“What are you doing, Harry?” Niall fusses when Harry drops down on the bed, and holds his head in his hands the second they walk in.

“Needed to take a piss,” he mumbles, laying his head on Niall’s shoulder when the musician sits down beside him.

“You know can’t get up without help,” Niall scolds before pointing at Louis. “Listen, Haz, I have to go, and Louis is here to help you until your mum gets in Friday morning, remember?” he asks, smiling reassuringly at Louis over Harry’s head.

“I remember, just don’t understand it,” Harry mumbles, hiding his smile against the material of Niall’s shirt.

“Be a good boy, Harry,” Niall almost sounds like he's warning a misbehaving child.

“Still have to piss,” Harry lifts his head to look at his friend, ignoring Louis very much on purpose.

“Mate, I’m sorry to leave you with this,” Niall talks to Louis, offending Harry in the process.

"Hey, what does that mean?"

“It’ll be fine,” Louis responds, but he's thinking it really won't be.

“Okay, Louis is going to help you to the loo, and I’ll call everyday while I’m gone,” Niall hugs Harry tightly before getting up, and walking over to Louis to pull him into another embrace.

Harry observes them slightly amused at the bewildered look on Louis’ face. It’s probably the exact expression he had after meeting Niall the first time.

“I’m glad Harry has people at his work he can count on. Just don’t know why I haven’t met you before now,” Niall says, pulling back when a muttered _I do_ comes from somewhere really close to the bed. “Haz,” and this time it’s a clear warning, “If you’re as chill Caroline and Zayn we’ll get along fine,” Niall returns to his conversation with Louis.

“Zayn Malik?” Louis adds the last name because Niall has to be talking about another Zayn. There’s no way his Zayn would even know who Harry's friend is.

“Yeah, he’s come with Haz to hear me play a couple of times. You should come with them sometimes, yeah?”

“Sorry, but I really need to take a leak,” Harry reminds them before an obviously stunned Louis can respond.

“Well, I’m out,” Niall says, watching closely as Louis recovers and moves to stand awkwardly in front of Harry. “If you lean in Harry can hold onto your shoulders. Then you have to support him with your arms around his waist,” he instructs when neither make a move.

“Yeah, yeah,” Louis rushes, bending stiffly. Harry follows Niall’s instructions, making sure his fingers lightly graze the back of Louis’ neck, and he almost snorts when he feels the responding shudder from the man who hates his guts.

“Bathroom’s through here, and I really have to go. Louis, you have mine and Anne’s number, and I’ll be in touch everyday,” Niall says as he backs out of the door, and he does not look at all relieved when Harry winks at him over Louis’ head. “Bye, mates,” he says, turning to leave, but not before leveling Harry with a warning look.

\----

Louis feels pretty sorry for himself as he guides his unsteady coworker over to the toilet.

He knows he put himself in this position, but is it fair that he has to go from seeing Harry fully dressed every day to seeing him in nothing but his boxers in the space of a few fucking hours? And Louis would have responded to anyone touching the back of his neck with shivers. He’s absolutely sure of it.

“Uhm, you have to stand behind me, and no peeking at my man parts,” Harry jokes, but it comes out shaky.

Louis makes no comment as he moves behind Harry, never letting go of his hold, and he wonders if the concussion is the reason Harry seems unaware that his bare arse qualifies as a man part.

Louis blames the warmth crawling up his spine on the temperature in the bathroom, and he closes his eyes to the view. As a result he's unprepared when Harry presses into his crotch as he bends to slide his boxers down. Louis almost drops on the spot when Harry shimmies against him as he shakes the excess off, and a comet colliding with the earth is probably the only thing that could have prevented Louis’ dick from twitching.

“Hate the pants with that little pee opening,” Harry explains when his is pulled his back up, and he’s washing his hands at the sink.

“I think the technical term is fly or flap,” Louis responds dryly, coming back around to Harry’s side.

“I’m sticking with gross,” Harry loops his arm over Louis’ shoulder again, and this time he only caresses the back of Louis’ neck with his thumb.

Louis shrugs in reaction to the weird hang up, and maybe to get away from the distracting touch. His only concern is getting Harry back to the bed which proves easier with him seeming a little steadier on his feet.

“I’m sorry if I’m taking you away from your family or friends,” Harry extends graciously once he’s under his duvet again, only needing a stuffed animal to complete the picture of a snuggly child.

“You’re not,” Louis replies, torn between blaming himself, and outright anger.

“No boyfriend?”

“It’s none of your business, but no,” Louis replies bluntly.

“Why are you here, Louis?” Harry sounds wiped out as he leans back against his pillows. “You hate me yet you agree to take care of me. You’re obviously not happy about it. None of it makes sense.

“I don’t hate you. I just don’t like you, and apparently you don't have anyone else to do it right now," Louis mumbles the last part.

“I just wish I remembered what happened before I fell. Do you know?” Harry asks, sounding hopeful, but feeling anything but. The emotion he has right now is spite.

“You have to rest, Harry,” Louis ignores the question because he's not about to have that conversation..

“Head hurts,” Harry says morosely, and Louis is relieved because pain medicine he can do.

"Of course it does."

Louis is thankful that Harry leaves him alone after taking the two tablets, and he exits the room assured that Harry is napping.

During the free time Louis explores the kitchen, deletes two texts from Zayn before blocking him, takes the time to enjoy a cup of tea, and fields an emotional call from Harry’s mum.

Anne Twist tearfully thanked Louis over and over again for staying with her son, and explained that she couldn't come right off because her husband had some kind of medical procedure that required her to stay with him.

Louis already knew the reason, but Anne, as she insisted he call her, sounded as if she needed to talk so he let her. He ended the call feeling worse, and thinking that Niall was right about Harry’s mum being awesome.

To quell the feeling of instant camaraderie Louis fixed Harry a light meal, and two hours after he left the bedroom he entered it again. This time carrying a tray with a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and a glass of ginger ale on it.

“Harry,” Louis calls softly after sitting the tray on the bedside table. “Harry,” he repeats, trying not to become alarmed.

“Leave me alone, Louis,” Harry mutters, sinking deeper under the duvet.

Louis is positive that covered the responsive and recognition instructions Niall gave him.

“Harry, it’s after eight. You have to eat something. Doctor’s orders,” Louis tries again.

“Tell the doctor she can go bite herself. I bet she's never tried to eat feeling like this."

No confusion either, only the difficult patient Niall talked about.

“Three spoons, and I’ll leave you alone. Plus, I have ginger ale to help settle your stomach,” Louis hates feeling the sympathy that’s almost equal to the loathing he feels for Harry.

“I didn't mean that about the doctor. She was nice, and I don’t want you to leave me alone,” Harry finally opens his eyes, and Louis wonders what he’s supposed to do with that piece of information as he notes Harry’s pupils are equal.

“That may not be such a good idea, Harry,” Louis can’t fathom why Harry wants him to stay.

“Please stay."

“Okay, but only if you try to eat a little, and go right back to sleep afterwards," Louis concedes with conditions.

“Deal,” Harry consents, grimacing when he goes to sit up. He lifts his hand to the back of his head, moaning when he touches something. “Do you want to feel?” he asks.

Louis is unconscious of how concerned he looks, and until Harry asked the question he never would've given touching the result of his idiotic plan a thought. “Would it be okay?” he responds tentatively, searching Harry’s eyes for assurance. To answer Harry holds out his hand for Louis to take, and then he lifts it to the egg sized swelling on the back of his head.

“I’m so sorry, Harry," Louis jerks his hand away.

“It's not your fault, is it? Harry says kindly, but Louis busies himself picking up the tray with the food on it.

\----

A little over two hours later Louis is getting ready for bed trying to think about anything other than the person he's getting ready to share a bed with. The problem is the more time he spends with Harry the more he finds it’s not hard spending time with him at all.

Louis was hardly surprised when Harry reneged on his promise to get more sleep when he finished the soup. He said talking helped ease the headache, and because he was in a benevolent mood Louis didn't argue.

Now he knows the different types of music Harry likes, and the names of some of the bands he listens to. Bands that Louis has never heard of. He knows Harry can be a bit clingy because his mum and only sister tend to coddle him. Louis tried not to be, but he was touched when Harry told him about being a loner in primary school, and how falling in love with the solar system filled the empty space having no friends created.

When Harry started talking about his first boyfriend, and how supportive his family was when he told them that he was gay, Louis gave himself a silent pat on the back for getting that one right. In the next second his heart did a nosedive because he remembered that thinking Harry might be straight helped to keep his attraction at bay.

Not that anything could happen with Harry's injury. Not that anything would happen even if Harry didn't have an injury.

Harry wasn't done talking, and Louis silently applauded his courage when he confided to ending his last two relationships because one of his boyfriends was too controlling, and the other was a cheater. By the time Harry was too sleepy to continue Louis thought he would like his coworker if he didn't know another not so nice side to him. It was also past ten, and time for another check that consisted of another trip to the bathroom where Harry quickly drained his bladder, and brushed his teeth. It was less awkward than the first time with Louis knowing not to stand so close.

Harry took the two pain tablets without argument, and he was asleep by the time Louis came back from taking the tray to the kitchen. He hasn't moved since, and the soft snoring sound coming from the bed makes it easier for Louis to get in bed after he exits the bathroom in a pair of sweats and a sleeveless tee.

He sets the alarm on his phone for twelve fifteen, careful not to move too much, and at the last minute he remembers to send a quick text to Harry’s mum before forwarding it to Niall.

Finally , Louis turns on his side, adjusts the pillow until it’s how he likes it, and he absolutely does not stare at Harry until his own eyes close. Only because ogling would be a better term for it.

Damn Zayn and his keen observations, but the truth is Louis really loves looking at Harry. Every chance he gets, not that he'd ever admit it to his best friend. He hardly likes admitting it to himself, but at night in the pitch darkness of his own bedroom Louis allows visions of Harry to have free reign in his mind, and looking at him now, Louis realizes the visions don't come close to the reality. Even deep under the spell of sleep Harry's absolutely beautiful.

_Well, shit._

When the alarm goes off ninety minutes later Louis feels like he’s only been asleep five minutes, and it irritates him to find Harry already awake, and propped up on his elbow staring at him.

“Why are you in my bed?”

“Niall suggested it as a timesaver,” Louis responds after a long yawn.

“My head is hurting again,” Harry tells him, satisfied or unconcerned with the answer.

“Sorry, but you can’t have more medicine for another two hours,” Louis says sympathetically.

“Can you turn the light off? Makes it worse.” Harry sighs.

“Sure, how long have you been up?” Louis asks after turning onto his back to shut off the bedside lamp he left on purposefully. There’s enough light seeping through the partially open door to keep the room from total darkness, and he can still make out the frown on Harry’s face.

“Maybe an hour or so."

“Do you need anything?” Louis yawns again, thinking he shouldn’t be so comfortable in Harry’s bed with Harry in it.

“No thanks.” Harry slides down to rest on his side. “Can we talk some more?” 

The uncertainty in Harry's voice pulls at something in Louis, and he can’t bring himself to deny the request. “About what?”

“You.”

“No.”

“Why not? I told you all about me.”

Louis squashes the urge to tell Harry he didn't ask him to. Once he leaves Friday morning they go back to just being coworkers, and them sharing personal things makes this seem like something it’s not. “Three questions, and that’s it," he says instead.

“Stingy, but I’ll take it,” Harry accepts the concession, smiling big when Louis moves more onto his side so that they're facing each other.

“Hit me with your best shots.

“Be patient,” Harry orders. “You’ve only given me three questions remember?”

“I do remember, and now you’re down to two,” Louis teases, laughing when Harry breathes a loud, "Oh".

“Not fair,” Harry drawls, but he can’t hide his smile. “Family?” he says so quickly it throws Louis off.

“There’s my mum, and I have four sisters," he answers. There's no need to expand because it's not likely that Harry will ever meet his family.

“How do you eat so much candy, and not have a mouth full of cavities?”

Louis laughs at another unexpected, and this time weird question. The candy thing is actually the result of growing up poor, and living off the income of a single mother. Sweets are just one of the things they didn't have the money for that often, but it's what affected Louis the most. For some people stockpiling expensive things remind them that they’ve escaped their poor childhoods, for Louis it’s being able to buy as much candy as he wants. Jellies just happen to be his favorite, but he's not about to share that with Harry. “I really don't eat that much candy. Oh, and I guess good brushing habits, and regular dental checkups keep me cavity free.”

“Why no boyfriend?”

The too personal inquiry brings Louis’ full focus back to Harry, and the first thing he notices is the lack of space between them now. Maybe it should be a warning sign for him to end the conversation, but Harry's voice, the dim light in the room, and their closer proximity adds an intimacy that only pulls Louis in more.

“Something necessary was missing from my last relationship, and I haven't felt the need to try again,” he finally answers.

“What?” Harry's eyes are shut, and Louis wonders if the talking is working its magic again.

“What, what?” he asks, still focused on Harry’s face.

“You said something necessary was missing.”

“I should have said someone because I was missing. Almost a year in he wanted something more, and I would have been satisfied with something way less. I’m not proud, but it was way easier to end it than it should have been at that point, ”Louis still hates that period in his life, and he hates talking about it even more. Matt was perfect in every way, but it never became more than a matter of convenience for Louis. Despite that he hated hurting his then boyfriend more than anything, but when the question of moving in together came up he knew he had to end it.

“How long has it been?” Harry asks with his eyes still closed.

“Officially a little over nine months, but we were done long before that," Louis only answers because he’s sure Harry's almost asleep. He’s surprised when alert green eyes open, and focus intently on him.

“So you've only been hooking up since then?"

“Actually, I haven't... wait a minute I’m not answering that, and you’ve had more than three questions,” Louis replies, finally enforcing the limit he set.

“It's been a year for me, and I’ve only had sex twice,” Harry talks like the information was asked for, and he brings his hand up to caress Louis’ arm.

“What are you doing, Harry?” Louis asks, trying to sound stern.

“Do you know how amazing your eyes are?" Harry's watching Louis with an intensity that leaves him breathless. "I thought Uranus was the prettiest shade of blue I had ever seen until I looked into your eyes."

“Besides that sounding cheesy as fuck, I have no idea what you're talking about, and what do you think you’re doing?” Louis asks, not nearly as forcefully as he means to. The reason being Harry's hand moving back and forth over his arm in a sweet caressing motion.

“It’s true," Harry’s voice is sensual and low as the same hand comes to rest at the back of Louis’ neck.

“Bet you say that to all the boys with blue eyes,” Louis tries humor to control his racing pulse.

”Sometimes when I look at Uranus through my telescope it takes my breath away. The same thing happens when I look in your eyes, Louis. And trust me, I have never said that to anyone else. Only you," Harry keeps his eyes trained on Louis' the entire time. The sincerity in his voice is undeniable, and Louis believes every single corny word.

“Okay,” he breathes, silently trying to convince himself he's not being seduced by a man who just compared his eyes to the color of a planet.

“It’s the seventh planet from the sun. Do you know what that means?” Harry continues, sliding his nails through the hair at the nape of Louis’ neck.

“No,” Louis lifts his hand with the intent to move Harry's rom his neck because he's not about to let a space lesson turn into sex, but he fails when Harry spreads his fingers, allowing Louis' to slide naturally in between them.

Louis still tries to fight it, but he's trapped under the spell of Harry's eyes, and he can only stare while Harry moves so close there's no space between them.

“It’s cold Louis. Being so far from the sun, Uranus is balls freezing cold,” Harry mutters, and before Louis can blink Harry smushes their mouths together.

Louis knows he should pull back, but after suppressing the intense feelings for almost five months all he can do is close his eyes, squeeze their joined hands, and open his mouth under the forceful caress.

It's all the encouragement Harry needs, and he uses their hands to push Louis’ head closer. He wastes no time licking into Louis' mouth, and the kiss quickly goes from sweet to needy. The first feel of Harry’s tongue against his sends electric tingles through Louis' body, and he responds by opening his mouth wider in order to match Harry move for move.

“That’s really cold, innit?” Louis says breathlessly when his mouth is free, and nothing else comes to his mind.

Harry moves from Louis' mouth to begin biting on his earlobe. “Yeah,” he agrees sensually before moving to give Louis’ neck the same treatment. Louis’ breath catches when he feels the wet heat against his skin, and needing something to do, he unclasps their hands to brings his down to latch onto Harry’s hip.

Harry uses his freed hand to push Louis onto his back, and when he's stretched out on top he goes right back to feasting on Louis’ neck. After a particularly hard bite Louis cant' hold back a moan. "Harry."

Harry licks and nips his way back to Louis' mouth where he kisses the breath from him again before sitting up to admire the marks on Louis' neck. When he's done Harry moves his gaze upwards, and he drags his thumb across Louis' bottom lip after staring at it for what seems like an eternity. “Do you want to know more Louis?” he asks, still looking at Louis' bottom lip.

Louis knows instantly Harry’s giving him the chance to back out before things go too far, and in the morning he may want to drive his car off a cliff, but right now all he wants is Harry. To answer he slips his hand inside Harry’s boxers. “More sounds good.”

“Fuck,” Harry groans when Louis begins to move his hand in unhurried up and down motions, and he bends down to mash their mouths together again. The kiss is deep and hot, and Louis lifts his head off the pillow to return the force of it. He takes his hand out of Harry's boxers, and grabs hold of his hips as he grinds to find the needed friction that catches him by surprise.

Harry separates their mouths to sit up again, but this time his hands go directly to the bottom of Louis’ shirt, pulling it over his head. The sweats are the next to go, and Louis gladly lifts his hips to help. Harry takes his own boxers off before settling in between Louis' legs again, and he makes quick work of kissing down Louis’ body.

“Your head,” Louis reminds him when he can force the words past his throat.

“I think we'll be fine if you keep your hands to yourself, and don't make any sudden movements," Harry continues on his mission until he’s mouth level with Louis’ erection. He immediately flicks his tongue over the wetness already pooled at the tip, and Louis’ hips jerk in response.

“Shit,” Louis hisses after a second longer lick.

“There’s twenty seven moons total,” Harry announces before wrapping his hand around the base, and taking the entire tip in his mouth.

“Seems excessive," Louis says for a lack of anything better to say.

“Speaking of excessive,” Harry says with intent, and he makes his point by taking more of Louis into the heated cavern of his mouth. Then there's no room for talking as Harry’s mouth is fully occupied, and Louis is only capable of making noises that resemble animal sounds.

To keep his hands out of Harry's hair Louis fists them around the sheets, but he makes the mistake of looking down. “Fuck, Harry!” he groans at the look of pure bliss on Harry's face.

“Umm,” Harry acknowledges the desire filled words, but he stays on task. Moving his head up and down in a rhythm that Louis should be accustomed to, but Harry makes it feel like nothing he’s ever experienced before. The silken warmth of Harry's mouth combined with the almost rough pad of his tongue has Louis gripping the sheets tighter, but just as he begins to push into the unresisting mouth Harry pulls off with an intentionally racy slurp.

“No,” Louis protests pitifully, but Harry stretches over Louis, ignoring the plea. He twists his body to pull open a drawer on his nightstand, and Louis watches with desire glazed eyes while Harry removes lube and a condom before positioning himself between Louis’s legs again.

Harry looks at him with a question in his eyes that Louis thought he had already answered, but if Harry needs to hear it again he's more than willing to comply. “I want to know more."

Harry's looks relieved, and a little bit like he's smirking before swooping down for another breath stealing kiss. Then only the sounds of need and pleasure fill the room until Louis is begging Harry for more than his fingers.

Just as anxious, Harry quickly complies, sliding lip bitingly slow into Louis, but he makes the torture worth it, and by the time he’s all the way in, Louis wants to scream from the pleasure.“Titania and Oberon,” Harry says after his first eye opening thrust.

Louis thinks for some reason Harry's talking about Shakespeare now, but all he really cares about is the movement of his hips. “What?” he asks anyway, and gasps when Harry moves again.

“The two largest moons on Uranus,” Harry responds on a thrust that has Louis crying out.

“Speaking of large,” he returns Harry's earlier compliment when he can finally form the words, and Harry begins grunting the name of a moon with every hard thrust.

Louis is stretched to the limit, and nothing he's ever experienced before compares to how good the burn feels. White heat warms him from the inside out with every earth shattering move of Harry's hips, and it's no surprise that Harry doesn't come close to naming all of the moons.

”Fuck! Faster, Harry!” Louis cries, the words coming out as long drawn out moan as Harry continues to pound into him,naming silly moon after silly moon.

Thankfully the solar system lover follows Louis' desperate command. Portia is the last moon Harry gets out before Louis is coming in hot spurts between their stomachs. He’s still experiencing shockwaves of pleasure when Harry thrusts one final time, and falls over his own edge.

He buries his sweaty head in the curve of Louis’ equally sweaty shoulder, pressing breathless kisses along collarbone his until his trembling stops, but the gentle caresses pull Louis out of his post sex haze. Regret is already eating at him before Harry lifts off him, and falls back to his side of the bed.

Louis can handle meaningless sex, and that's definitely all this was, but he can't deal with displays of affection afterwards. “That was interesting, and I’m thinking there was a theme with those names,” he says lightly, trying to head off any awkwardness, and ignore the nerves clawing at his stomach.

Harry looks over at Louis, and nods before he answers. “All named after characters in Shakespeare’s plays, and just think there's twenty more to go."

“Do all planets have that many moons?” Louis asks absently, missing the innuendo behind Harry’s words because he’s mentally trying to convince himself that the sex wasn't the best he's ever had.

“I’d love to tell you, but I really have to pee again,” Harry says apologetically.

Louis jumps up to help him. “Yeah, okay."

A piss each, and a quick wipe off later they’re back in the bed, and Harry's already asleep.

In the bathroom, when they stood completely naked, watching each other clean away the evidence of having sex, Louis was reminded again how easy they transitioned from being office enemies to whatever they are now. It's just too bad a lack of modesty doesn't equal a lack of remorse.

At least for Louis it's doesn't.

\----

It’s a little after nine when Harry wakes up. For the first time it's without Louis’ prodding, and it feels good. His head’s not hurting, the nausea is notably absent, and if Harry's memory serves him right, he had the best sex of his life last night.

It's true that he started out teasing Louis because he wanted him to confess to the email, but something happened while they were talking, and by the time Louis opened his mouth to deepen that first kiss, Harry was lost. He still is, and the fact that they still have another day together is a sweet bonus. He can’t think of a single reason why he shouldn't complete Louis' lesson on Uranus.

The thought alone is enough to make Harry's stomach clench with need, and he's still warm from memories of last night when Louis walks in a few minutes later, obviously fresh from the shower.

One look at him, and Harry's heart sinks. Louis looks like he’s carrying the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "I have to tell you something," he breathes, eyes focused somewhere on Harry's chin.

"What?" Harry’s pretty certain he knows what’s coming from the look of guilt on Louis' face, but he's kind of relieved. He ready to clear the air so they can move forward.

"You have to know I never meant for you to get hurt, but I sent you an email saying the meeting with Liam was delayed. I'm not sure, but I think you were rushing to the conference room so you wouldn't be late, and that's how you fell," Louis sounds so remorseful Harry feels awful for stringing him along. At least he does until Louis opens his mouth again.

"I'm sorry about last night too. I've been feeling so bad for causing your injury, but that wasn’t a reason enough to have sex with you. I think we should call it a onetime incident, and not mention it again."

In the spirit of the moment Harry decides to make a confession of his own, despite thinking Louis' little speech is bullshit. "I owe you an apology too."

"For what?" Louis looks Harry directly in the eyes for the first time since he walked in the room.

"I remembered the email before you got here yesterday. I knew you sent it when Caroline told me the time hadn't changed, and you were right, I was rushing to the meeting to beat you at your own game. So the fall isn't all your fault, and I'm sorry for keeping it from you," Harry thinks he’s being magnanimous in light of things.

Apparently, Louis doesn't. "You fucking arsehole! You had to see how miserable I was about this whole thing. To top it off you let me sleep with you out of guilt," he exclaims, infuriating Harry in the process.

"Yeah, you were so consumed with guilt you gripped my hips so hard it left bruises. Coincidentally the same guilt had you moaning my name, and begging for more. Funny thing that guilt."

Louis opens his mouth to say something. Really ugly if the angry expression on his face is any indication, but the words never come. He stomps out of the room instead, slamming the door for added effect.

He comes back in a short time later with the same tray from yesterday, but he's not a welcome sight. Harry’s in a really bad mood. 

“I have some egg whites on toast for you,” Louis informs him dryly.

Harry ignores Louis. He can't he eat when Louis ruined his appetite, and he ignores the ice pack when Louis tries to give it to him because there’s a bigger lump in his bedroom besides the one on his head.

Next, Harry folds his hands under his arms because if he doesn't he might throw the food tray at the offensive lump. He knows he’s being a royal pain, but Louis deserves it for ruining what started out to be a really good day.

“You can ignore me, but you have to eat,” Louis attempts to talk to Harry again, but silence greets him again. “Fine, have it your way,” he snaps, moving to pick up the tray before heading out of the room.

“I need to shower,” Harry calls out petulantly before Louis can step through the door. The dishonest lump can at least make himself useful.

“That’s something you’re going to have to take up with your mum when she gets here. Maybe by then you’ll be hungry too,” Louis keeps walking without looking back.

“Bloody arse,” Harry mumbles under his breath, determined to have a shower with or without Louis’ help. It’s not likely he’ll see his bullshit of a caregiver for another four hours since the two hour checks ended as of this morning. That gives him more than enough time be squeaky clean and back in bed.

Not willing to put it off Harry moves to sit up, and other than a little unsteadiness when he first stands on his feet he makes it to the bathroom without incident. His mouth feels horrid so he brushes his teeth first. Then he makes a stop at the potty before finally stepping under the steaming spray.

Harry stands without moving for a few minutes, letting the water pelt him because it feels so good, but knowing he can’t dally forever, he starts to clean his face. He's just started to wash his chest and arms when a wave of dizziness hits him. Thankfully he has the mind to grab hold of the soap bar, but the spell passes almost as soon as it started. Even so, to be safe he holds on for another minute, and that’s how Louis finds him when he pulls the shower door open.

“What the fuck are you doing!” Louis shouts. “Don’t move,” he adds when he notices Harry clutching the small handle.

"I had a small dizzy spell," Harry tries to explain.

“Are you absolutely mental?” Louis quickly sheds his clothes. When he’s stripped naked he steps in, and moves to stand behind Harry, placing a hand on each side of his waist.

“I’m fine,” Harry says tersely.

“I could see that,” Louis replies sarcastically. “Get on with it, Styles."

“As soon as you get out,” Harry responds moodily, really trying not to let Louis irritate him more than he already has.

“That’s not happening. So either you finish, or I finish for you,” Louis threatens.

“Fuck off, Louis. You couldn’t be bothered earlier, so why now?” Harry turns around, and he doesn't miss the way Louis’ eyes abruptly move up.

“Okay, one washing coming up, and I was going to help you when I was ready. Not on your orders,” Louis informs Harry pointedly before attempting to take the flannel.

“Don’t you dare,” Harry snarls, moving the piece of cloth out of Louis’ reach, but he does turn around again to begin washing where he left off.

Harry's hair is the last thing he cleans, and he takes extra care in the area where the swelling is, but it’s not nearly as swollen or as tender as it was yesterday. He shuts the water off as soon as he's finished, and he follows Louis out of the shower feeling like a child being led around by the hand. 

“Did you get towels out?” Louis asks, looking around the bathroom.

“Behind you,” Harry points the towel hanging over the shower door. “There’s more under the sink,” he adds, trying to keep his teeth from chattering, forgetting that Louis would already know where the towels are. The air combined with the water dripping from his hair is giving him a chill, and he’s grateful when Louis hands him the towel.

Harry makes quick work of drying off after Louis takes a towel for himself from under the sink. Harry wraps his around Louis' waist when he’s dried as much as possible, and he waits patiently while Louis does the same. He's more than ready when Louis secures the towel low on his hips. Still chilled, all he can think about is crawling under the covers. He had planned on changing the sheets, but he's too tired to make the effort now.

“You do realize how bad this could have turned out, don’t you?” Louis asks, ending the tenuous silence.

“Well it didn’t, did it?” Harry says snidely, plopping down on the bed, totally knackered.

“The point is it could have,” Louis emphasizes. “Look at you, you’re practically dead on your feet," he gives Harry a measured look before walking over to the bureau, and rummaging through the drawers until he has a pair of boxers and a tee shirt in his hand.

“I suppose you’re going to be difficult about this as well,” Louis says when he’s standing in front of Harry who’s looking at him with tired eyes.

“I can dress myself, Louis. Just give them to me," Harry holds his hand out for the clothes. "I mean, I wouldn’t want to guilt you into doing something else against your will."

“Just fuck you, Harry. I didn’t exactly sign up for this," Louis' eyes are spitting blue fire. "First, I’m practically blackmailed into staying with you.”

Harry wants to kiss Louis again, but the urge to strangle him is more powerful. “Give em’ to me, Louis,” he cuts in menacingly, reaching for his underwear again, this time managing to grab some of the material.

“If that weren’t enough, I’m guilted into having sex with you over something that was equally your fault,” Louis repeats the earlier nonsense that Harry has no desire to ever hear again.

“Talking about the _incident_ are we. Thought we weren’t allowed to mention it again,” Harry ridicules, tugging so hard Louis stumbles.

It was unintentional, but Harry loses his breath when Louis' towel unknots and slips from his waist. Harry was too busy rushing to get through to focus on Louis’ nudity in the shower, but how is he supposed to ignore it now with Louis’ dick practically staring him in the face.

“What’s the matter, Harry? Can’t take it if everybody’s not bowled over by your charm? I had you pegged the moment I saw you. Just another jerk in a suit,” Louis spits, apparently more interested in the argument than the fallen towel, or his exposed dick. To prove it he tugs on the clothes.

Harry tugs back harder. “You’re a real piece of work, Louis,” Harry's definitely not talking about Louis’ body even though he hasn’t looked above Louis' belly button since the towel dropped.

At least Harry’s not being too obvious about it. “Just let go, and get out,” he demands, and he really needs Louis to listen because he’s having a little trouble dealing with the semi action going on under his towel.

“Make me,” Louis defies huskily.

To Harry's tired ears the words almost sound suggestive, and he quickly lifts his head, only to stop breathing.

“I said make me,” Louis dares again, looking at Harry with the same heated challenge in his eyes. Then with a lewd lift of his eyebrows he attempts to snatch the tee and boxers from Harry’s grip one more time. Harry tugs back with more force, but he let’s go when Louis crashes into him.

Louis steady’s himself by holding on to his charge's broad shoulders, and Harry helps by gripping Louis' hips. Although he feels a little strange going from anger to lust in the space of a few seconds, but with Louis looking at him like he could eat him up strange works for Harry.

“Your chest is poking my dick,” Louis says, smiling smugly.

“Uhm, pretty sure it’s the opposite,” Harry responds, no longer tired. Or cold.

“Can’t have that can we?” Louis drops to his knees.

Harry definitely didn’t see that coming. Actually he thinks he must have hit his head harder than he thought because this can’t be the same Louis he was just arguing with.

“Fuck!” Harry breathes when Louis unknots his towel.

“If you’re lucky,” Louis retorts cheekily, but Harry thinks he's already pretty lucky especially when Louis wraps his hand around him, and he almost bucks off the bed when Louis goes down on him. Taking as much of Harry into his mouth as he can without any teasing or warning.

Harry falls back on the bed. The sensation of Louis’ mouth around him is earth shattering, but with some effort he raises back up to rest on his elbows because he can’t resist the temptation to watch Louis suck him off. The image of his caved cheeks and stretched lips sends a jolt of hot pleasure through Harry’s stomach, but the sight of Louis' obscenely long eyelashes resting in the hollows under his eyes has him moaning out loud. “Louis!” he gasps, experiencing another jolt when Louis opens his eyes.

He holds Harry’s gaze when he pulls off to begin circling the head with his tongue. He uses his hand to pump while he continues to give the head of Harry's cock special attention, never once looking away. It’s one of the hottest things Harry’s ever seen, and his four month period of abstinence becomes evident. He likes being taken just as much as he likes taking, but right now all he can think about is being taken.

“Want you to fuck me,” Harry huffs when Louis takes all of him back into his mouth. When he continues with the up and down motions without even a hint of stopping, Harry thinks he didn’t hear him, but he can’t muster up the effort to repeat the request because Louis' mouth is sending waves of heat over him.

Thankfully after a few more spine tingling swipes of his tongue, Louis stands up. He walks the few feet to the nightstand, opening the top drawer to get a condom before picking up the lube that’s still sitting out from the night before, and after tossing the tube on the bed he moves to stand back in front of Harry.

“What are you waiting on, Styles? Move your arse.”

Harry hastily repositions on the mattress, not needing to be told twice. He watches with anticipation while Louis crawls in the space between his spread legs, but before he can settle Harry eagerly yanks him down with a hand on each side of his face to smash their mouths together. 

The kiss is bruising and needy, but neither of them seems bothered by the pain. “Come on, Louis,” Harry moans impatiently when they break apart, grinding against him in case he doesn’t get the message.

“Just you wait,” Louis commands.

To Harry it sounds like a scolding, and a pledge as Louis begins to kiss down his body, leaving a patchwork of red marks on his chest and stomach by the time he sits up on his knees. Harry lifts his shaky legs when Louis grabs the lube, closing his eyes in anticipation once he begins to slick up his fingers. He opens them again when Louis’ other hand braces against his thigh, and he has to resist the urge to push down when he feels a finger at his opening.

Louis teases at first by rubbing in lazy circles, and Harry's just shy of begging when he pushes in. He inhales sharply, and he opens his eyes at the same time Louis begins to move his finger around. The circular motions satisfy his immediate need at the same time it deepens it. ”Another one,” Harry pleads when Louis seems content to keep torturing him with one finger.

Instead of complying Louis lowers his head to take Harry back into his mouth, and he continues to work the one finger in and out while he teases Harry with light flicks of his tongue. He starts to suck earnestly when he inserts the second finger, and Harry can’t control the thrusting of his hips any more than he can control the moans and cries coming from his mouth.

When Louis finally adds the third finger he’s stroked Harry’s prostate so much he feels minutes away from exploding. He must telepathically transmit the thought to Louis because stops sucking without any semblance of finesse, and begins putting a real effort into opening Harry up.

”Now, Louis,” Harry grates, and to his relief Louis listens.

“Don’t you dare go slow,” Harry demands through clenched teeth.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Louis responds with a thrust that has Harry moaning.

True to his word Louis continues thrusting fast and furious, and although Harry knew he was close, his orgasm still sneaks up on him. It almost feels violent as wave after powerful wave of hot sensation washes over him, and he’s so caught up in his own experience he doesn’t realize when Louis comes. He's only half aware when Louis cries out against his neck.

“Harry,” Louis moans, drawing the name out until he stops making the little pleasure extending thrusts.

Harry finally enters earth’s atmosphere again, and the first thing he does is lift Louis’ head from his chest to give him a passionate _thank you so very much for that_ kiss. Louis responds with equal passion before dropping his head to Harry’s shoulder, but he only stays there for another minute or so before he gently slips out, and flips over onto his back.

They turn to look at each other at the same time. Louis looks serious, but Harry's smiling.

“What’s so amusing?” Louis asks, still breathing heavy.

“I really wanted to revisit the Uranus lesson, but I kind of got sidetracked. Not that I'm complaining," Harry tells him with a wink.

Louis groans before rolling his eyes, and Harry’s smile transitions to outright laughter.

\----

Louis snorts around the spoon of Corn Puffs he just shoved in his mouth after reading and almost choking on the joke Niall just texted him. He's sitting on the counter in Harry's kitchen, and when he stops laughing he sends Harry’s friend a quick reply.

_: But wouldn’t that be anatomically impossible?_

_: Thanks, Lou. You just ruined a perfectly funny joke. Have to run. On stage in five.xx_

Louis smiles at the response before sitting his phone down, and he resumes eating his cereal. He's a little baffled that Niall's only met him once, and he's already calling him Lou. And ending his texts with symbols of affection, but honestly Niall's texts couldn’t have happened at a better time because Louis had been busy beating himself up for having sex with Harry again.

The first time Louis can hardly excuse, and he still can't wrap his head around the fact that he came while Harry was naming the moons on a planet he could care less about. The second time can only count as an outright big time screw up.

Louis had just been so furious with the concussed wacko for pulling the stupid shower stunt. Then Louis just had to stumble when Harry tugged on the clothes in his hand, and his towel just had to come unknotted. Still, if Harry hadn’t been staring at Louis like he was looking at the finest piece of art to ever exist then he probably wouldn't have remembered what Harry’s mouth felt like wrapped around his dick, and he probably wouldn't have had the undeniable urge to return the favor.

“You know caring is sharing,” Harry drawls from the kitchen entryway, startling Louis.

After cleaning up again, and finally putting on the tee and boxers, Harry asked Louis to heat up the food he’d refused earlier. When he finished eating, he took the pain medicine, and fell asleep almost immediately. That was close to four hours ago. In that time Louis was able to get in a small nap, carry on a texting conversation with Niall, and fix a bowl of cereal, but mostly he spent it berating himself for being so reckless.

Sometimes reckless people never learn. “Want some?” Louis offers softly, holding the bowl out.

“Sure,” Harry responds, coming to stand in the open space between Louis’ legs. He makes a big show of eating off the spoon Louis just had in his mouth. Then he watches Louis watch him lick the spoon before sitting it back in the bowl.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed, Harry,” Louis kind of scolds, trying to ignore his fast heartbeat and Harry’s proximity. He also kind of persuades himself that he did not just open his legs wider for Harry to fit in between them.

“Woke up, and couldn’t stop thinking about Uranus,” Harry responds, and Louis fights the need to groan at the continued cheesness.

“I’m not sleeping with you again. Nothing’s changed,” he responds after taking a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady and firm. He succeeds with shaky and breathless.

“Hasn’t it?” Harry asks, stepping closer, and without permission bends his head to begin sucking on the pulse on Louis’ neck.

Louis is sure he'd be more convincing if his head weren’t tilted to give Harry better access, but he tries anyway. “Listen, Harry. The first time was a mistake, the second time we were just caught up in the moment. A third time would be…,” Louis goes to say disastrous before he’s cut off.

“Just as good, maybe even better,” Harry finishes for him.

Louis bringing his arms up to circle around Harry’s neck, and lifting his legs to wrap around Harry’s waist kind of disproves the theory about never helping the person you're arguing with win the argument.

“Probably,” he concedes on a sigh before leaning in to meet Harry’s mouth halfway.

In the time it takes Harry to break the kiss, move again to Louis’ neck, and back up for another kiss Louis thinks just one more time won’t hurt anything. It's only sex, and he is in a weakened state from not doing this for almost a year. No one would blame him for taking advantage of the opportunity. Or at least they shouldn't.

Louis and Harry are too engrossed on proving to the other who the better kisser is that they don’t hear the approach of the woman now looking at them with a shocked expression on her face. They're also oblivious when the woman shakes her head right before she turns away from the display, and a few minutes later Louis is enjoying his turn at Harry’s neck when an unfamiliar voice penetrates his Harry consumed brain.

“Harry?” the voice calls after the apartment door closes with a loud thud.

“Shit, it’s my mum,” Harry huffs, briefly leaning his forehead against Louis’ before stepping back.

Louis jumps down from the counter, quickly occupying himself by emptying and washing the cereal bowl while Harry quickly grabs a juice carton from the refrigerator. In the meantime they hear another loud thud, presumably Harry’s bedroom door.

“Hazza?” Anne says loudly, this time it’s tinged with a little concern, and some seconds later she’s standing in the kitchen entrance. For the second time unbeknownst to Louis and Harry.

“There you are. Harry Edward Styles, get a glass. More importantly, why are you out of bed?” Anne goes from relief to chiding to concern all in the space of a few seconds.

“Mum!” Harry puts the lid back on the juice container. He wipes the back of his hand across his mouth, and puts the carton back in the fridge before walking over to embrace his surprise guest. “I thought you weren’t due til in the morning,” he exclaims in his uniquely slow way, still beaming.

Louis observes the exchange standing with his back against the sink. Its obvious Harry's really happy to see the pretty brunette in his arms, and apparently neither of them are bothered by his state of near undress.

“Robin’s sister came down a day early. I thought I'd do the same with you,” Anne steps back to caress Harry’s face before turning towards Louis.

“You must be Louis?” she asks, walking over to him.

“That would be me,” Louis responds with a nervous smile. He extends his hand, but Anne ignores it to pull him in for a hug.

s he wraps his arms around Anne's waist, Louis immediately thinks what is it with Harry’s people and the need to hug. Not that he minds because this particular one reminds him of home and his own mum.

“I’m Anne, and you’re my lifesaver,” Anne squeezes Louis tightly before stepping back to rest her hands on his shoulders. “Harry talks about you so much, and I can’t tell you how comforting it was to know that you were here with him.”

“Was glad to do it,” Louis replies, and what in the actual hell! Harry talks about him to his mum, and she's still being nice?

Anne gives Louis a another sweet smile before turning back to her flushed son. “So, what have you boys been up to?” she asks then appears not to notice Harry's strangled cough, and Louis’ nervous flick of his hair and quick rotation to face the sink again.

“Nothing, just Louis being the best nurse a guy could ever dream of,” Harry finally drawls, and Louis wants to bang his head against the sink in embarrassment. Surely he’s not the only one in the room to form a pornographic image from the statement. No doubt that was the arsehole’s intention.

“No, please don’t let me put you out,” Anne sounds so genuine it makes Louis feel like a bigger heel for half causing Harry’s injury, and for having sex with her son despite the injury.

"Actually, it’ll give me time to catch up on a few things, and I’m sure Harry can’t wait to have you all to himself,” Louis insists.

“If you’re sure I can’t change your mind,” Anne sounds like she wants to press the issue.

“Yeah, I am,” Louis replies gently, but firmly. “I’ll just get my things," he adds, aware of Harry’s intense gaze. He's been staring like that the entire conversation between Louis and Anne, and Louis avoids looking at him when he leaves the room.

Louis breathes a little easier too, and it takes him all of five minutes to gather the little he brought with him, but his heart drops to his stomach when he spots a condom on the floor by the bed.

“Shit!” Louis lifts the torn piece of foil to stuff it in the pocket of his sweats, praying Harry’s mum only opened and closed the bedroom door on her earlier search for her son.

Still, a blush is spread over his face when he walks back to the kitchen to say his goodbyes. “The instructions for Harry’s care is on the nightstand by his bed, but I'm sure you'll find that he’s not following them,” he says, smiling shyly.

“Yes, I've already seen that. Thank goodness he had you here to keep him somewhat in line,” Anne replies, and to Louis it looks like she smirks a little.

“It was nice meeting you, Anne,” Louis responds, blushing harder under Anne's knowing gaze. Exactly what did her and Harry talk about while he was gone?

“Same here, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough,” Anne tells him with another sincere smile. “Now, son of mine, since you’re keen on disobeying doctor’s orders you can walk Louis to the door.”

Harry stands up without argument, and Louis is struck again at just how breathtakingly handsome his coworker is. Even with his hair going in every direction it shouldn't be Harry is beautiful to look at.

“It’s really not necessary, and you should be back in bed,” Louis tells Harry.

“Yes, it is, and trust me I will be back in bed soon. Probably a mere second after you leave,” Harry replies, nodding pointedly in his mum’s direction.

“He’s right, and Louis, I’m sure we’ll meet again,” Anne calls out before Louis and Harry can step out of the kitchen.

Louis is highly doubtful they will meet again, but Harry's mum sounds so confident he sees no point in disagreeing with her, and after offering her another smile, he follows Harry out of the kitchen.

“So, this has been fun,” Harry hedges, when they’re standing in front of the door to his apartment.

“Yeah,” Louis murmurs, looking down at his feet. “Look, Harry, let’s not make this weird, okay?” he continues. “We’re adults, we had sex…,”

“Mind blowing, out of this world, worth repeating over and over again sex,” Harry interjects, catching Louis off guard, and causing him to let out an annoyed breath.

“Yeah, well. No! It’s not happening again, and as I was saying, we both knew what we were doing. Can we just leave it at that? I’m truly sorry for sending the email, and I promise there’ll be no more trouble from me at work, but nothing beyond that because I’m still the person who disliked you before we had sex. More importantly you’re still the person I disliked,” Louis contends, and he actually believes every word.

Harry not so much. “Right that, but you have something on your,” he reaches somewhere behind Louis’ neck.

“What?” Louis tilts his head in an automatic response.

“Just let me,” Harry replies, still looking at whatever the object is, and he grasps the back of Louis' head before he has a chance to react.

Later on when Louis is back in his own apartment he’s going to talk himself into believing he put up some resistance when Harry mushes their mouths together. After all it is approximately two point three seconds before Louis parts his lips, and maybe even a second more before he grabs Harry’s hips. Clearly that's resistance, but the moaning and his thorough search of Harry’s mouth might be a little harder to excuse, but in his defense he just really likes kissing Harry.

“I’ll be seeing you, Louis, and don't forget we still have unfinished business with Uranus,” Harry says smugly when he pulls away.

Louis ignores yet another raunchy double reference, and now that Harry’s not sucking on his face he can be more adamant. “No, no, and more no!” he whispers angrily, mindful that Harry’s mum is still in the kitchen.

“Have I told you again how much I love your eyes?” Harry asks, and Louis wants to punch him because now he’s just playing dirty.

“Fuck you!” Louis whispers before turning to forcefully open the door.

“Bye, Louis,” Harry says right before the door slams quietly. Again Louis is mindful of Anne’s presence.

“Bastard,” Louis seethes before he quickly collects himself. It doesn’t matter what Harry believes because Louis meant what he said.

If he has to he’ll just have to keep telling Harry that sex between them won’t ever happen again. Obviously because showing him is not entirely working out in Louis' favor, and on that thought he heads out of the apartment complex politely ignoring the fact that _telling_ Harry hasn't exactly worked out in his favor either.

\----

Harry starts when he turns to find the reason for Louis’ soft slam staring at him with her arms folded across her chest.

“What do you think you’re doing, noodle?” Anne asks then nods toward the sofa, and Harry doesn’t need the words to know he’s just been told to sit his rear down even though she used one of her many pet names for him.

“Depends on how much of that you saw,” Harry says once she’s sitting beside him.

“Enough to know I raised you better,” Anne says sternly.

“Sorry,” Harry apologizes. His mum has the uncanny ability to make him forget he’s an adult 

“Seriously, Uranus. Please tell me that my son is not that embarassing. No wonder Louis seemed to be in a hurry to get away from you,” she adds, laughing when Harry’s face turns a becoming shade of red.

“Mum!”

“Kidding aside, why would you even go there with a concussion? Not one of your wisest choices."

“A mild concussion,” Harry reminds his mum, “and outside of a slight headache, I’m good. Besides, I couldn’t help myself. Did you see him?”

“Yes, I did see Louis,” Anne says fondly. “He’s adorable. A bit skittish maybe, but adorable.”

“I think he's more manly and rugged,” Harry pulls his shirt up over his head, groaning when he realizes how ridiculous he sounds.

"That too," Anne agrees, watching her son with sympathetic fondness.

“S’just too bad he’s equally annoying,” Harry sighs.

“Yes, I could see that when I came in the first time, and saw you two mutually annoying each other on the kitchen counter.” 

“Exactly how long where you there?” Harry's almost purple with embarrassment now.

“Long enough to wish for eye soap, and let’s not leave out the suspicious foil wrapper on the floor beside your bed. Or the sendoff you just gave him. Very annoying indeed, Harry Styles.”

“I think I like him a lot,” Harry confesses, partly because he needs the woman who means everything to him to know what she witnessed wasn't casual, but mostly because it’s the truth. 

"I know you do, love. Do you know how much you talk about him, but even if you had never mentioned him before now, your feelings are written all over your face. If it’s any consolation I believe he likes you too."

“Not so certain of that,” Harry responds solemnly, wishing the soothing words were true. He’s never told his mum about his issues with Louis at work because he didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily, and now he’s glad of it.

“Well, I am, and I quite like him so there’s that,” Anne insists.

“Mum’s seal of approval. I guess that means it’s a sure thing then,” Harry teases.

“I wouldn’t go that far. Remember I liked your dad at one time, and look how that turned out.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Harry responds, thankful his parents remained friends despite their divorce, and his mum's teasing.

“Just try not to move too fast,” Anne says more somberly. “From the little I heard Louis seems to be fighting you on this. Sometimes that can lead to a wonderful and passionate love story. Most of the time it leads to heartache, and I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

Harry shrugs his shoulders as he moves into his mother's open arms. He doesn't want to be hurt either, but he wants Louis so much the possibility isn't enough to make him give up now that he's had a taste of what they can be together.

\----

“If that’s food you’re offering I’ll take it, but you can kiss my arse,” Louis says none to kindly.

Zayn is standing in the door of Louis' apartment with a bag of takeout, and he's holding the peace sign up.

Apart from a shower and a midmorning cup of tea, Louis has been catching up on the sleep he missed at Harry’s. So the food is welcome, but the person holding it is not.

“You haven’t answered any of my calls or texts, and I was worried,” Zayn walks through the door Louis leaves open when he turns back into his flat.

“That should've been your first hint, mate. Besides you could've just called your new best friend, Harry,” Louis says snidely, and to his credit Zayn looks unbothered by the words. He sits the bags down on the coffee table before going into the kitchen, returning a couple of minutes later with two plates and a couple of beers.

“So, Harry or a freakishly affectionate Irishman has been talking,” Zayn begins emptying the bag of Thai takeout, and promptly plates the food up.

“I believe an explanation would be appropriate,” Louis suggests/demands, still angry but not enough to ignore the plate of food being offered to him.

Zayn’s spears of a piece of chicken before he responds. “I met Niall a few months back at Brooklyn’s Christening,” he finally answers.

Zayn's talking about Caroline's daughter, and his goddaughter so of course he'd be at her Christening. Louis was invited too, but he had to miss it because of an out of town conference. He never imagined that Harry would have received an invite.

“Caroline invited Harry, and he brought Niall along as his plus one," Zayn continues blandly. "If you had been able to make it you would've met Niall that day. Maybe even gotten to know Harry little better.”

“Still not connecting how Brooklyn’s christening led to hanging out with Harry and his friend,” Louis responds with a mouth full of Pad Thai.

“If you know I’ve hung out with Niall then you know he invited me to one of his gigs. I said yes because you just cannot refuse him. When Harry found out he suggested we go together, and I didn't want to say no. That one time led to a few more times. That’s it.”

Zayn seems more preoccupied with the vegetable rolls on his plate than the explanation, and it’s frustrating Louis to no end. “If that’s it why didn’t you tell me?"

“Maybe because my best friend sometimes has the mental capacity of a bad tempered nine year old, and I have invited to you to hear Niall play. You refused me every time.”

Louis recalls the invites, he just wasn't interested. He still isn't.

“It’s given me time to get to know Harry better, and that’s why I’ve been trying to get you to lay off,” Zayn says, sounding more subdued.

“What, you hang with him a few times, and now he’s a saint?” Louis asks sarcastically.

“No, just what I’ve been saying for months. I don’t think he’s the person Ned made him out to be.”

“Harry's uncle does work on the board, no? And why would Ned lie about something so serious? ”

“I haven’t figured that out,” Zayn says, frowning before he speaks again. “I brought the subject up casually with Harry, and he said he went through the standard application and interview process like everyone else. That's as far as I got. I didn't want to push it.”

_“Don’t ask, don’t ask, don’t ask.”_ Louis can see the next question on Zayn's face before he opens his mouth.

"Did you get the opportunity to question him about it?”

_Shit!_

“Uh no, didn’t get the chance. You know busy like and all,” Louis rushes before flipping the subject just as fast. “So what’s going on with you and Liam?”

“What do you mean?” Zayn's clearly evading, but Louis is direct if nothing else.

“I mean dear Zayn, after all these years have I managed to turn you to the penis side?”

“Fucking no! As if you’d have anything to do with it. As you very well know I've never been closed off to the idea. Liam’s just the first man I've actually wanted enough to try, and that's all I'm saying. The subject is officially closed so let it go,” Zayn follows his words by taking a long look down the neck of his beer.

Louis takes a minute to savor his friends’ discomfort, and the blush on his face because it’s such a rare event to see Zayn flustered. Thankfully the Ross Group has no intercompany dating policies, or it looks like they'd both be in a world of fuck. Enjoying the silence, Louis drops his head against the back of the sofa, unaware that he’s exposing more of his neck.

“Lou, did you pick up a stranger, and get yourself shagged before you went to Harry’s on Wednesday?” Zayn asks casually.

“You know I don’t do strangers,” Louis responds, not bothering to move.

“Well did you go and get yourself shagged by someone you know before you went to or after you left Harry’s?” Zayn revises the question, this time with speculation in his voice.

Louis looks irritated when he lifts his head to glare at his friend. “No, I did not.”

“Then do explain to me how you got those two very recent looking love bites?” Zayn says, pointing to the bruises Louis all but forgot about.

“Fuck!” he slaps his hand over the marks, wincing because the skin is still tender.

“Louis, please tell me you did not have sex with Harry. Please," Zayn begs.

Louis at least has the grace to look ashamed. “I can, but it'd be a lie,” he mutters, and Zayn groans.

“You were only supposed to take care of him, not shag him,” he groans again.

“There was another willing participant in this so maybe you should be having this conversation with him too,” Louis sounds offended.

“This is the very reason I didn’t tell you,” Zayn sighs.

“Tell me what?” Louis snipes.

“Harry looks at you the same way you look at him, Louis. He has from the very beginning, and when he told me he was gay I thought it'd be better if you didn’t know because of how you feel about him. Both of you have been single for a while, and I was scared if you knew something like this would happen,” Zayn explains, and Louis is too confused to even think about being angry.

“If you were so scared why did you force me to stay with him?”

“Let’s be honest you deserved that, but I only wanted you to get to know him better. And excuse me for thinking a concussion would kind of be a cock blocker,” Zayn's voice is full of disbelief. “Harry’s a nice guy, Louis, and I think he might be really into you. You have to see how unfair it would be to keep shagging him thinking about him like you do.”

“Pretty sure you’re wrong,” Louis disagrees, unwilling to even consider that Zayn might be right. “But no worries, it was a one off,” he assures his assistant. It’s not exactly lying just because Louis omits that he and Harry had sex twice, and were on their way to a third time before Harry's mum interrupted.

Zayn looks doubtful even with the omission. “I’m serious, Lou. You need to stay away from him, or tell him about Ned's accusations. Someone's going to get hurt if you don't. Unless something’s changed besides the fact that you two shagged.”

“Nothing's changed, and no one’s getting hurt. It was just sex, and it’s not happening again. Trust me.”

\----

A still unconvinced Zayn left about an hour later, and Louis went right back to his bed. He didn’t fully wake up until Saturday morning, and without the lack sleep consuming his focus Harry occupied a great deal of his thoughts, but he meant every word he said to Zayn. The sex may have been phenomenal, but that small detail doesn't change what Harry and his uncle did to an innocent man. No matter how tempting it is or how many fantasies he's had about it, Louis just can't let himself get involved with a person like that.

Louis cleaned his apartment to cope with the unwanted thoughts, and by the time he’s finished his apartment was spotless enough to win an award. Then after a light meal, and a shower he went back to bed tired enough to fall asleep almost as soon as his head touched his pillow.

Sunday morning Louis finally feels like himself again, and the first thing he does is get his grocery shopping out of the way. After lunch he looks over one report, and starts on another one before giving up. He hates investigating complaints more than any other task associated with his job. Going through transcripts of phone conversations between the clients and the brokers, and delving through document after related document is too time consuming, but at least he doesn’t have to fight so hard to keep thoughts of Harry away.

Because of it Louis is in a much better mood than the sour one Zayn left him in when he sits down to eat a frozen dinner, and when he's done, Louis settles in to watch television, more convinced than ever that what happened between him and Harry was some sort of fluke.

The first text does nothing to change his mind.

Louis hears the message alarm on his phone just before he goes to turn the volume up on the television, and although he never saved Harry's number he knows the text is from him the second he he opens it.

_:Got the all clear from doctor yesterday. Mum just left. Bored._

Louis’ heart rate only triples, and his hands are only slightly trembling when he replies. Still, he thinks both are good signs that his determination is still strong.

_:What does that have to do with me?_

That was a determined reply if there ever was one.

_:I’ve got Uranus on my mind._

Obscene and cocky, Louis will give Harry that, but absolutely nothing else. 

_:Not happening again._

_:Please tell me you’re not one of those people who starts something, and won’t finish it._

_:Fick pff._

_:What?_

_Louis has to read his last response again before he corrects and resends it with steadier fingers._

_:Fuck off._

_:Cupid._

_:Still fuck off, and what’s Cupid got to do with it?_

_: Haha. Belinda._

Louis thinks maybe if he pretends that he doesn’t know Harry’s naming the damn moons again it’ll shut him up.

_:Have no idea what you’re on about. ___

Yep, very convincing.

_:Perdita. ;)_

Ok, maybe not.

_:Not sleeping with you again!_

_:Wasn’t planning on sleeping. Caliban._

Louis' resolve to stay away from Harry is not slipping at all. It’s really not, and he’s not even a little turned on by the texts. Even so, his pragmatic side realizes the only way to get the point across is to stop replying. Which he does, but he can’t stop himself from peeking at the names of the moons that keep coming.

Louis too keyed up to sit still thanks to the blatantly suggestive messages. As if the names of Uranus’ moons can be considered blatant or suggestive.

He decides the only way to solve the problem is to get out of his flat. Away from Harry, and his phone. For some reason simply turning the device off doesn’t occur to Louis, and he makes no effort to change out of his tee shirt and pajama bottoms. He just grabs his car keys before rushing out the door.

With no destination in mind Louis just drives, nervously tapping his fingers on the steering wheel the entire time.

He could go to Zayn’s, but then he’d have to explain more than he’s willing to. He has a few other friends he could call, but none strike his fancy right now. The way he’s dressed definitely rules out a bar, and after more destinationless driving, Louis comes to the conclusion that if anyone can talk him back to sanity it's Zayn. It might hurt to hear the things his best friend has to say, but if it has the desired effect then so be it.

Louis is thinking the same thing when he pulls into the familiar parking garage. He's even more determined when he rings the doorbell, and then forcefully knocks on the now familiar apartment door.

When Harry opens the sturdy slab of wood Louis is banging on, he's still thinking Zayn is the only person who can stop him from doing something stupid. Louis irrationally thinks he’s had worse greetings when Harry grabs the front of his shirt to pull him in for a hard kiss, and fucking mag pies if all thoughts Zayn and all his warnings don't fly out of the window the second their mouths connect. Louis is hard pressed to even remember who Zayn is.

“You’ve been ignoring me,” Harry accuses when lifts his head, but his eyes are shining, and he’s smiling so hard Louis wants to tell him to tone it down.

“I left my phone back at my flat,” he responds instead, and links his arms behind Harry’s neck to drag him back down for another kiss. Louis thinks he could kiss Harry into eternity before quickly shutting the thought down.

“So this is a thing?” Harry asks a few minutes later.

Although Louis would rather be kissing, he knows honesty is his only choice as he steps back. “No, this is not a thing,” he looks at Harry directly. “I’m only here for the astrology lessons. If you can’t accept that then it would better if I left."

Louis pretends to miss the flash of something in Harry’s eyes, but thankfully there’s only a small silence before Harry gives him a lopsided smile, and grabs his hand.

“One _astrology_ lesson coming up.”

\----

Harry’s staring with sleep tired eyes through his bedroom window. Dawn is just making it's appearance, and Harry’s been awake for close to an hour, relishing the unfamiliar, but very welcome weight against his chest.

It's been over three months since Louis came to Harry's apartment looking for an astrology lesson, and until last night he never slept over. At least that night Louis stopped pretending every time he and Harry had sex it was the last time.

Harry took his sweet time pounding the differences between astrology and astronomy into Louis, and the three to four times a week they've been getting together since then has done little to curb their insatiable desire for each other. For Harry it goes way deeper than the sex, but until last night Louis made sure Harry knew that's all it was for him.

Partly because of Louis' insisting that it was only sex, and partly because he didn't want pity from his friends, Harry requested they keep things between them. As a result they mostly meet up at Louis' apartment. He only comes to Harry's flat when Niall's out of town which is the why they're in his bed now.

Bitter tears burn Harry's eyes because it hasn't been easy for him.

Early on he felt like he had to accept Louis' condition that it was only sex. Harry just wanted to be with Louis, and he had to pretend it didn't crush him every time Louis walked away, but somewhere in the past month the sex stopped being enough. Harry wants more. He wants to be in a real relationship, but he's kept quiet about his feelings to keep Louis.

Harry's life has been more complicated because he's had to contend with the three different versions of Louis, and it's kept him edge.

The Louis Harry works with is no longer vindictive. He kept his promise to give up his little vendetta, but in it's place is an amiable aloofness that frightens Harry even more. It's so easy for Louis to keep him at arms length at work, and sometimes it seems more than just Louis' attempt to be professional.

The Louis who started joining Harry and Zayn at some of Niall's gigs is the exact opposite. That Louis doesn't know the meaning of the word aloof.

It started out with him agreeing to attend one of Niall's shows with Zayn, and now it’s kind a thing for the four of them. If it’s not to hear Niall play they'll grab a bite to eat or go out for drinks, and on those occasions Louis treats Harry no different than he treats the other boys.

Harry was thrown off by the friendly banter at first, and he had to get used to the loud and brash person who dominates conversations and keeps everyone laughing. That Louis keeps Harry enthralled. Most nights he can hardly remember anything that goes on because Louis consumes his focus. It's heartbreaking at the same time because Harry knows he could've been really good friends with that version of Louis.

It's even more heart shattering for Harry because the open and fun Louis made him fall deeper in love with the version in his arms right now. The Louis that's so passionate when they’re in bed together. The Louis that becomes this spontaneous and sensual person who can have Harry crying with laughter one minute, and wrecked with need the next. Sometimes Louis is just on the right side of rough and commanding. Other times the only words to describe him is gentle and caring. Almost reverent.

Their conversations are the best. Sometimes when they meet at Louis' flat they have a quiet conversations, and although Harry thinks it’s mostly because Louis doesn’t know how to kick him out immediately after they have sex, he still treasures that time with Louis. When they’re at Harry’s flat Louis is always cleaned up, and out of the door minutes after they’re done.

It hurts, and as much as Harry loves Louis...and he is in love with him. So much he wonders if he’s ever really been in love before. Still, he's never been the type to settle. Harry didn’t settle for controlling and cheating, and he can’t see himself settling for the little Louis wants from him, but for the first time in his life ending a relationship is proving easier said than done.

No matter how much Harry vows to tell Louis he needs more than casual sex the words never come when he's actually in Louis' presence, but until last night the intent to tell him was still there. Now Harry's not so sure, because instead of his standard _I’ll call you or Text me_ on his way out of the door, Louis didn't move after they finished. He didn’t say anything when Harry got up to fetch a flannel. Even more surprising, he let Harry clean him off with a sleepy smile. When Harry climbed back in bed Louis didn’t hesitate to move into his open arms, quickly falling asleep.

Harry was too exhausted to dwell on it last night, but now with Louis still snuggled up against him, it's all he can think about. Maybe they've finally put the bad beginning behind them, and just maybe they're headed towards that passionate love story Harry's mum told him about.

Harry wraps his arms tighter around Louis' waist, and he breathes in the clean scent of his hair before giving into the sleep clawing at him.

When Harry opens his eyes again he realizes he’s made a painful mistake. “It’s still early. Come back to bed,” Harry ignores the ache in his chest while he watches Louis dress hurriedly.

“Why would I do that?” Louis responds incredulously. “You do know this didn’t mean anything," he rasps. "Maybe this whole thing’s been a mistake," he adds ruefully.

Harry moves to sit up, more than a little frustrated and hurt. “This is getting old, Louis. How long are you going use a stupid cup of tea as an excuse to keep you from admitting we have something good here?”

“No, Harry, all we have is sex, and what cup of tea are you even talking about?”

“Our first meeting, Louis,” Harry reminds Louis, but now he’s confused because if it's not the tea what is it?

“Do you really think I’m so shallow that I would hold that against you?” Louis sounds just as astonished as he looks. “You do realize Zayn Malik is my assistant, and I’m more likely to get him tea than he is to get it for me. No, this is not about a stupid cup of tea.” 

“What is it then? Why do you dislike me so much?” Harry asks, looking at the Louis he had hoped to never see again.

“You’re shitting me, right?” Louis asks sarcastically. “Does the name Ned Guinn ring any bells for you?”

Of course the name is familiar to Harry, but it still doesn’t clear up his confusion. "What does he have to do with any of this?” 

“Come on. Don’t play dumb, Harry. Does the fact that Ned worked at the Ross Group for almost thirty years mean nothing to you and your uncle? He was supporting a family, and he had two children in college. You have to see how fucked up that was.”

Harry's even more puzzled. “My uncle?”

“Surely you didn’t think everyone would just accept that your uncle got rid of a dedicated and hardworking employee to free up a position for you,” Louis seethes, his eyes spitting blue fire.

“So you’re saying that my uncle abused his power to remove someone from their job so I could have it, and me being a lazy sponge, was happy to let him do it. Can't be any other explanation right?”

“Do you deny it, Harry? Are you telling me your uncle had nothing to do with you getting the job?”

“You know what you’re right, Louis,” Harry says with dead calm

“I don’t want to be right. You can't begin to know how much,” Louis responds quietly, the anger and accusation in his voice now replaced with regret, but Harry's too done to care.

“No, I mean you’re right about this thing between us being a mistake. Sorry, I forgot it's not a thing. It's just sex, right? Well, now it's not even that, and I’d like you to leave,” Harry’s face is a mask of stone, and there’s no doubt the request is really an order.

Louis stands unmoving like he wants to say something else, but the silence stretches out too long, and in the end he turns to leave.

“Before you go,” Harry calls out. “What kind of person has sex over and over again with someone they have such a low opinion of?” he asks, still without a trace of emotion.

“Apparently, someone with the same morals as you,” Louis replies after a noticeable pause, and Harry decides not to notice how his hand is trembling when he opens the door.

\----

Shitty doesn't even begin to describe the kind of week Louis is having. If only he’d turned back, and asked Harry for an explanation, instead of walking out. If he had just done that then maybe his stomach wouldn’t feel like it's tied up in a hundred knots.

Louis' biggest screw up by far was staying the entire night at Harry's in the first place. He was just so tired of pretending sex was the only thing he was interested in. On a subconscious level Louis wanted Harry to know it too, but when he woke up with Harry holding him so securely, and it feeling so right, he panicked. Louis thought if Harry woke up to an empty bed he'd understand nothing had changed between them, but it didn’t work out that way, and things proceeded to go to shit really fast. 

Louis tortured himself the entire rest of the weekend. He was so wrecked by Monday morning he called in sick for the first time in five years. He refused to answer the door when Zayn came by to check on him after work, and Louis regretted giving his best friend a key when he let himself in.

_"Left you some soup in the kitchen, babe," Zayne whispered in his ear like he knew Louis was pretending to be asleep._

Although the act of kindness brought fresh tears to Louis' eyes, he kept his back turned, and he was relieved when Zayn left after smoothing the duvet over him.

Tuesday they were so busy with Louis' regular work load, and catching up on the work he missed, they almost didn’t have time to breathe. Thankfully Zayn didn't try to force Louis into anything after work. He didn't even attempt to call Louis, but today he isn’t so lucky.

Zayn just walked into his office obviously ready to talk it out. “I’m not leaving until you tell me why you look like shit, and why you’ve been acting like your world ended. We know it can’t be that bad because I’m your world, and I’m right here,” he walks around to Louis’ side of the desk before resting against it with his arms folded across his chest.

The small attempt to cheer Louis up falls flat, and instead his eyes sting with tears./p>

“Sorry, mate. This is about Harry innit?” Zayn places a comforting hand n Louis shoulder.

“How do you know?” Louis asks, in no way trying to deny it.

“Even if Niall hadn’t told me...”.

“He told Niall about us?” Louis breaks in. It’s not an accusation, if anything it gives him the tiniest bit of hope. It was Harry's idea to keep their little affair a secret, and if he told Niall about them, maybe all hope is not lost.

“Yes, Harry told him. Niall is his best friend, like I thought I was yours,” Zayn sounds a little offended, and Louis knows he would feel the same if their roles were reversed.

“I bet Niall hates me, and I’m sorry for shutting you out. I wasn't up to talking about it when you came by the other night.”

“Niall doesn't hate you, and just this once I’ll forgive you. Now as I was saying, even if Niall hadn't spilled the beans I kind of already knew something was up,” Zayn smiles compassionately when Louis looks at him for an explanation. “It was bad before you two shagged. Now when Harry looks at you he literally lights up. When we’re out together, and you dare to talk to him, everybody else may as well be invisible."

"That's not true," Louis cuts Zayn off because he would have noticed that.

"It is true, and you're no better. You look at Harry like you’re amazed he’s actually real. I have no clue how Niall didn't see it because I did. Now you’re acting like someone died. Harry looks like he’s ready to fight any object that doesn't breathe, and you’re avoiding each other. The last time we talked about this you were pretty sure it wouldn’t happen again. What changed?”

Louis is past caring, and since there’s no way he can actually explain it with words he takes his phone out of his desk. He goes to the very first messages Harry sent him before passing the device to Zayn. 

The more Zayn swipes down the more perplexed he looks. “What’s a Perdita and a Caliban?”

“Moons on Uranus,” Louis explains, already rethinking his decision to let Zayn see the messages.

Zayn continues to scroll through the almost three months’ worth of texts, and finally something like understanding transforms his face before he throws back his head and erupts with laughter. “Please tell me you guys haven't been shagging to the tune of none of these planets are quite like the other,” he stammers the words through his laughter.

“Not all the time we don't, and it’s not as ridiculous as you make it sound,” Louis mumbles, trying not to smile because this is just not a smiling matter.

“Sorry mate, but this is some of the funniest shit I’ve ever heard. Sorry, I mean read. You know what this means, don’t you?” Zayn asks, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes.

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” Louis says pointedly.

“Just think one day when you and Harry grow up, and have kids you’ll be able to tell them it all started with Uranus," Zayn bends over he’s laughing so hard.

"Not you too," Louis can't help smiling until he remembers why he's smiling. “I really fucked up this time," he moans, knowing the truth even without having it confirmed. He knew when he walked out of Harry's bedroom Saturday morning, but he was too scared to turn back around. Actually he knew long before then, but he's been too stubborn to admit that he was wrong.

“Then you know what you have to do,” Zayn looks at him more somberly now.

“You didn’t see him, Zayn. He was so cold to me, and he really sounded done.”

“Not, Harry. You have to call Ned. You need to know the reason he lied to you, if he lied. Who knows maybe someone fed him the story he fed you.”

Louis feels in his guts his former colleague lied deliberately. He picks up the office phone anyway, and as he punches in the number to the direct line he’s called a handful of times since Ned’s departure, he knows it’s his last time dialing it.

Ned answers on the fourth ring, and Louis presses the speaker so Zayn can listen in.

“Louis, it’s good to hear from you,” Ned greets him enthusiastically.

“Same here. How are you?” Louis asks, looking at Zayn with a what should I say expression, nodding when he mouths _"Just ask him.”_

“Can’t complain. The job’s keeping me busy. Listen, I hate to rush, but I’m just about to head out for an early lunch."

“I won’t hold you up, but I have a quick question?” Louis replies, relieved to end the small talk.

“Go ahead then,” Ned still sounds friendly and unsuspecting.

“How exactly did you find out who pushed you out of your job?" Louis asks, and the silence on the other end of the phone is telling even before Ned starts to talk again.

“Sorry, I can't recall, and it’s not a big deal now. I mean the damage is done, yeah?” Ned's attempt to blow over the subject doesn't sit well with Louis.

"It wouldn’t be a big deal to me because I trusted you, but it would be a big deal to you, Ned. Seems to me you'd remember every detail about being cheated out of a job you devoted most of your adult life to."

“What is this, Tomlinson?” 

“You know exactly what this is. Why the lie, Ned?” Louis demands.

“If you must know, this job was too sweet to pass up, and I only had to nudge a few clients in this direction to get it. Sorry if you don't agree my actions, but I didn’t think twice about it. Like the Ross Group was going to miss out on contracts they never had. The one thing I didn’t bargain on was being reported and fired before I could quit. No matter my crimes, I worked my bum off for twenty six long years, and I wasn't about to let a little misconduct be my legacy. I just needed somebody to get my story out, and who better to do it than the other district manager. I knew everyone would believe you,” Ned explains his actions with no apparent concern for the fallout.

“You had to know your lie would affect my working relationship with Harry,” Louis says disbelievingly.

“Actually, I didn’t give Harry much thought all. From our brief interaction he seemed like a nice enough chap, and I knew he’d be fine,” Ned continues, sounding a lot less friendly, and a great deal more impatient. “Let me give you some advice, Louis. People like us don’t make the rules, and we’d be a fool not to grab golden opportunities when they come our way. Now I really have to go. Don’t suppose I’ll be hearing from you again?”

Louis can’t believe the gall of the person he thought he knew. “No, I don’t suppose you will,” he hangs up without another word. “What have I done, Zayn?” he asks with an expression of horror on his face.

“Had the back of a deceitful arsehole apparently, but at least we know the truth now," Zayn replies angrily.

“He must have had a good laugh at how gullible I was."

"You can't beat yourself up, Louis. All the factors were there for the story to be true, and Ned used that to his advantage. Don't forget I even believed him in the beginning," Zayn says, and Louis wants to cry at the unintentional reminder that his best friend tried to tell him over and over again how wrong he was about Harry.

"Please, tell me I can fix this?”

“I don’t know, babe, but we’ll figure that out later. Right now let me get you a cup of tea,” Zayn tells him before heading out of the office, and Louis would laugh at the minor miracle if his heart wasn’t breaking.

\----

The next day Caroline walks into Harry's office with the same we're going to talk this out look Zayn had in Louis' office the day before. Four days of Harry hiding out in his office, and slamming things is four days too many.

"You need something?" Harry asks impatiently, not bothering to look up from the computer screen he's been glaring at for over an hour.

He told Caroline everything after work Monday, and he was thankful that it was the first time she heard the ridiculous tale. He really hoped that meant it hadn't spread throughout the office because he doesn't know if he can work somewhere everyone thinks the worst of him.

Thanks to Zayn, Harry knows the reason Ned lied to Louis, but it doesn't make him feel better. He honestly thought his predecessor left the Ross Group because he found a better job. He never had a reason to think otherwise.

“So are you going to continue acting like a grumpy bear, or do you want to talk about it?” Caroline overlooks the rudeness.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I fell for someone who thinks I’m a coldhearted bastard. This entire time I thought Louis disliked me because I mistook him for a secretary, and then had the gall to ask him to make me a cup of tea,” Harry says angrily, and Caroline listens patiently while he does a convincing job of ranting for someone who said there was nothing to talk about. "You know, I could deal with that because I knew eventually he’d come around, but it turned out I was fighting a battle I knew nothing about. A losing battle apparently."

“I don’t think it’s a lost battle. Louis is as broken up as you are about this. Zayn's pretty worried about him, and I admit that I am too. He looks awful, Harry.”

“I’ve been working here eight months, having sex with him for more than three. All that time he’s believed the worst about me, and I’m supposed to care if he looks awful? Well, I don’t,” Harry lies horribly, and his words hold only the tiniest bit of conviction.

“You have every right to be angry, but you also have to understand that Louis took for gold the words of a man he worked with for five years. You, he knew nothing about. Honestly, I probably would have believed Ned's lies if the rumor had picked up, and I only worked with him for a little more than a year.”

“Louis didn't give himself a chance to get to know me. Zayn knew about Ned's lies, and he still gave me a chance. I’m sure you would've done the same if you had known,” Harry insists, knowing he’s right.

“Maybe, but Zayn and I weren’t attracted to the person we had sworn to hate on sight. That could've made Louis act unreasonably, and if I'm honest, I think both of you are sort of to blame for this,” Caroline responds. “I know he's had eight months to tell you the real reason behind his animosity towards you, but you've been having sex with him for three months. How could you not once ask him for an explanation in all that time?"

“Because all I cared about was Louis wanting me just as much as I wanted him," Harry responds honestly. "I would have told him the truth if he asked, but to be fair, he never brought the subject up either."

The simple truth is that Harry filled out an application, and went through the interview process like every other candidate for the job. His extensive experience with contracts got him the promotion. The lie Ned told is even more ridiculous because if Harry were that kind of a person why come on as a district manager? Why not use his uncle to get a higher position in the company, and why wait six years to do it?

“You can't exactly start a conversation by asking a virtual stranger if their uncle knocked someone out of a job just so they could have one.”

“He had sex with me believing that about me. What does that say about him?”

“I don’t know, love. Could be that was the one area he had no power to resist you. Maybe while you two were in bed, Louis didn't have to fight his true feelings for you.”

Niall said something along the same lines, but the words do little to ease Harry's pain. Then and now. “So, I’m only good enough to shag.” 

“You know that’s not what I meant. Although, it does appear you have mad seduction skills,” Caroline teases, changing the sullen tone of the conversation, probably purposefully. "As a matter of fact, I think I’ll start whispering sweet nothings about the solar system in my partner’s ear. I’m thinking if he likes it as much as Louis, I have a great chance of scoring this gorgeous pair of Manolo Blahniks I’ve had me eyes on for months.”

“Have you been talking to Niall?” Harry asks, smiling for the first time in days. His best friend had quite a laugh when Harry told him the only reason Louis was having sex with him, and he's still peeved over the beer the Irishman spit all over him. Of course Harry's already shared the story with Caroline, but whispering sweet nothings about the solar system were the exact words Niall used when he could talk without cackling.

“Only one or four times, but only because we're worried about you,” Caroline responds, her expression solemn. “Seriously Harry, maybe you should just talk to him. I don’t think he’d be opposed.”

“He’s an arse,” Harry smarts, ignoring the suggestion.

“Maybe, but he’s an arse I think you could have something great with. You’re just have to forgive him first."

Caroline makes it sound so easy. He forgives Louis, and then what? Do they pick up where they left off? Do they go back to being bed buddies who work and sometimes hang out together. Do they move forward as friends minus the sex? 

Harry knows he can have Louis back in his bed if he wanted him. He’s just not willing to risk his heart anymore on someone who might not ever want anything more than sex, and he thinks too much has happened for him and Louis to ever have a platonic friendship. What that means for them Harry doesn't know, and right now he doesn't care.

At least if he pretends hard enough he doesn't.

\----

Two days later Louis walks into Zayn's apartment. He kicks off his shoes and hangs his jacket on the coatstand before stepping further into the room. He doesn't want to be here, and until Zayn insisted he come to lunch today, Louis had perfectly fine plans of spending the weekend in bed with a sheet pulled over his head.

That would have been a fitting end to his week, not having lunch and acting as if everything's okay.

After the enlightening conversation with Ned the rest of Louis' week passed by in a slow haze of work and pain, and pain and work. Harry continued to ignore him at every opportunity. Even in the staff meeting yesterday he didn’t looked up once while Louis was speaking, and as soon as it ended he left without so much as a glance in Louis' direction.

In a stark contrast Louis followed Harry's every move. He was so obvious Zayn had to kick him under the table just to get him to stop. It didn't help Louis when he looked up from his notes to find Zayn and Caroline watching him with pity on their faces.

Louis steps into Zayn's sitting room, and he stops because he was under the impression it would only be him and Zayn for lunch, but the laughter coming from the kitchen says otherwise. The laugh definitely doesn't belong to Zayn, but relief floods through Louis when he sees it's only Liam. In the next second Louis almost trips over his socked feet.

“So, do you know why Mars is called the red planet?” Zayn is leaning against the counter with Liam standing front of him, and there's no way to misinterpret the suggestiveness in his tone. At least to Louis there's no way to misinterpret it, but it sounds like Liam doesn’t take the bait at all.

“I’ve think I've read up on that before, but I don’t recall the reason. Do you?” he asks seriously, and Louis’ burst of laughter causes both of them to jump.

Liam turns around to give Louis a welcoming smile, and Zayn mouths _fuck you_ over the regional director's shoulder, which makes Louis laugh harder. “Yeah, Zayn, tell us why is Mars called the red planet?”

“Shut up, Louis. It’s not like you and Harry own the rights to planet speak,” Zayn says.

“Never said we did, and now I actually get why you found it so funny,” Louis purposefully attempts to annoy his friend even more.

“Am I missing something?” Liam intervenes and appears to prevent Zayn from making a very ugly gesture with his middle finger.

“Yes, you are, but I’ll fill you in later,” Zayn tells Liam sweetly. “You’re early, and you forgot how to knock,” he adds to Louis, only not as sweetly.

“Lock the door if you want me to knock, but then I would just use my key. I didn’t know this was a working lunch,” Louis continues to provoke Zayn because it’s the best he’s felt in days.

“Again, shut up, Louis. Maybe you should go wash your hands.”

Louis could argue with Zayn by pointing out the big sink behind his back, but he figures if he does there’s an excellent chance there might be something extra in his food, so he turns to make his exit.

“Louis, before you go I just want to say I’m sorry about Ned. We don’t make it a practice to publicize employee misconduct, but if I had known what he told you, I would have shut it down without a moment’s hesitation,” Liam says, and it means a lot to Louis. Even if it’s too late. "If it matters at all, Harry's family ties didn't factor in at all when I offered him the position, but even if I had known about his uncle being on the board, I still would've have chosen him because he was the best candidate for the job."

“Thanks, Liam,” Louis responds sincerely, the explanation only adding to his agony.

"There was serious consideration of taking legal action against Ned because of his actions, but his long history with Ross' worked in his favor. Now if the board decides to reverse their former decision he may find himself facing those charges along with accusations of slander added to them. His only hope might be that Harry's extremely opposed to it," Liam concludes, effectively erasing the small amount of happiness Louis felt when he first walked into the kitchen.

"That's really big of him considering, but I can't say that I'm surprised," he responds before leaving the room.

"Lou?” Zayn calls his name just as he opens the door to the bathroom. “How are you, mate?"

"I miss him, Zayn. I can't eat or sleep. I'd give anything to take it all back," Louis' eyes mirror the pain in his voice. "Maybe it's karma for how I treated Matt," he adds, revealing how bad he still fills for not loving his ex the way he deserved, but Zayn disagrees.

"That's bullshit. If anything you made it so Matt could find someone who could really love him, and he did just that, remember. Just like you've found someone you really love, and I know he's angry right now, but Harry loves you too.

"Sorry I'm such a mess right now," Louis says, attempting to smile.

"Come here, babe," Zayn orders, and Louis willingly falls into the embrace. "You really, really love him don't you?"

"I really, really do," Louis answers against his shoulder.

"Well enough of this mushy stuff then. Everything's going to work out fine, trust me," Zayn says confidently, and when Louis steps back from the embrace he wishes he felt the same. "Now, do you want a beer or wine?”

“Tea's good,” Louis ignores the offered choices because he’s not in the mood for anything alcoholic, but when Zayn moves to walk away he places a hand on his arm to stop him. “I’m sorry if I haven’t been a good friend. I mean not being available if you’ve needed to talk about Liam or anything else.”

Zayn smiles understandingly, but shakes his head. “Liam's amazing and unbelievably sweet. When he asked me out it didn't even occur to me to say no, and I've haven't regretted it once. He's so much fun, and I can't wait for you to get to know that side of him. Maybe I should be freaking out because I've never been had these kinds of feelings for a man before, but it feels right. Right in a way I never knew it could be,” Zayn pauses, takes a deep breath, and covers his face with his hands before adding, "We do have to talk, don't we?"

“Yeah, we do. Whenever you're ready,” Louis is really happy for his best friend, but he can't help being a little envious. There's so much he wants to ask too. Like when the hell did all of this start?

"I love you, mate," Zayn says, pulling Louis back in from another brief hug. "I need you to never forget that."

"I love you too, and I won't," Louis promises. He doesn't realize he didn't smell food in the kitchen until he's washing his face, but he figures they’re having takeout when the doorbell rings a few minutes later.

When he walks into Zayn's living room on his way back to the kitchen Louis is startled to see Niall sitting on the smaller sofa with an arm thrown across Liam’s shoulder, but the reason he stops dead in his tracks is sitting across from them on the longer couch.

Louis really hopes Zayn has a will prepared because he is so dead.

“You didn’t tell me he was going to be here,” Harry turns accusing eyes on Zayn, who’s sitting beside him. His pulse hasn't slowed since Louis came into view, and a part of him almost shatters when Louis looks crushed by his words.

“No worries, I’m leaving. Thanks for the heads up, Zayn,” Louis says cynically.

“Lou,” Zayn starts when Louis moves from where he’s standing with the intention of getting his shoes, but Niall jumps up from the couch to block his path.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he declares firmly before pulling Louis into his arms. “It’s good to see you.”

Louis returns the hug, but he’s still determined to leave. “He doesn’t want me here, and I can’t blame him,” he whispers against Niall's ear.

“Ignore him then, and stay for me. I’ve missed you,” Niall whispers back, and Louis reluctantly gives in to the request with a nod of his head.

He immediately regrets the decision when Niall promptly returns to his seat beside Liam. That leaves the empty space beside Harry, but Louis sits as far into the corner of the sofa as he can. There’s also an invisible spot on his sweats he hadn’t noticed before, and attempting to rub it out keeps him occupied.

Harry's giving the same attention to his tightly laced fingers, but he has to keep his hands locked together or he would grab Louis and never let go. It's been the same all week. He wanted to hold onto the anger just as much as he wanted to hold Louis, and he didn't allow himself to so much as look at him or he's sure he would have ended up doing the latter. Louis has no right to look so frail and vulnerable after what he did.

The tension in the room is knife cutting thick, and the awkward silence is only adding to it.

“You know, you two can make this easy by kissing and making up now," Zayn speaks up, sighing when Louis and Harry don't even bother to lift their heads. "Okay, this was supposed to be an intervention of sorts. We, your friends, even prepared these great statements with some of the best Uranus one liners you'll ever hear, but Caroline couldn't make it because Brooklyn's colicky this morning, and I can also see you two aren't going to play along. So, we're just going to make earlier than expected exits, and let you boys talk this out on your own."

"Not without me saying my bit, we're not," Niall sounds offended. "Worked too hard on them."

"In that case it's good thing I came prepared with a plan b," Zayn responds with an exaggerated wink at Niall, giving him a piece of paper that appeared out of nowhere. "I made a list of all of them just in case Louis and Harry wanted to frame them later."

"I'm leaving if you read one word of that, Niall," Louis threatens, finally looking up from the nonexistent spot on his joggers. He really wants to be angry with Zayn, but he can't because he hasn't been this close to Harry in an entire week. Still. that doesn't mean Louis has to listen to bad Uranus puns.

"Now that I think about it maybe we should continue with the intervention. I mean, I had this big speech planned where I explain just how much I've learned about the solar system thanks to Louis' phone. You guys would've really been interested in this thing called the noodle effect. Louis, tell me again where Harry's face was when he explained it to you?" 

"You arsehole," Louis spouts at the exact same time Harry gasps. It's his fucking fault anyway for needing to remind Louis of every fucking sexual thing they do in a text. Although the noodle effect lesson had been a brilliant way for Harry to apologize for calling Louis' bum big. Quite brilliant in fact.

"I'm going to overlook that because you just told me you loved me. Remember you promised to never forget it, and do you really want to bring up arseholes right now?" Zayn asks pointedly, and Louis answers by agitatedly pushing the hair off of his forehead. "We're ready now," Zayn tells Niall with maybe a degree or two of smugness in his voice.

Niall obliges with maybe a degree or two of pride on his face when he starts reading from the paper, "Louis, you and Harry really bonded over Uranus, and if he gives you another chance don’t fuck it up again. Just fuck him. That's mine," he brags when he finishes.

Zayn applauds while the other three men in the room have varying degrees of shock their faces. Okay, Louis' expression could also be classified as disgust, and Harry could be trying to hide a smile, but it's kind of hard to tell with both of them looking down.

"Caroline wrote, "Louis, I’m sure you know Venus is the goddess of love, but she doesn't come close to competing with Uranus in Harry’s heart," Niall looks confused this time when he finishes, and he looks up from the paper with a frown on his face.

"Wait a minute, I thought Aphrodite was the goddess of love?”

Under other circumstances Harry would explain the differences between Roman and Greek mythology, but he’s not in the mood right now.

"Beats me," Zayn answers the musician, and Liam shrugs his shoulders. "I thought they both were," he says.

"Oh,well I'm sure the one person in this room to know the answer will tell me when he's speaking to me again," Niall looks at Harry who looks back with angry green eyes. "Carrying on then. Harry, I’m trusting you to fix things with Louis because where are you going to find another person on this side of the moon who feels the same way as you about Uranus as he does? By the way, that's Zayn's contribution, and as brilliant as those were I saved the best two for last. At least I think they are, and not at all because I thought of them."

“Please, no more," Louis begs, dropping his head on the arm of the sofa. He thinks he might go mad if he hears another one of the awful double references. From now on he's going to be more selective in his choice of friends because the ones he has now are certifiable.

“Yes, more," Zayn ignores the plea. "Niall.”

"Harry, for this one you have to pretend I'm Louis, okay?" Niall says with a devious smile. "If for some reason you can’t forgive me, just know that because of you, Uranus means the world to me.”

Harry gives Louis a quick sideways glance because he can almost hear his brain groaning.

"Louis, now it's your turn to pretend that I'm the stubborn chap beside you. I would be a fool to let you go because I would die if anyone else became as attached to Uranus as I am. Get it, attached to Uranus," Niall's smiling like he accomplished something big, and Louis mumbles, "Please kill me," under his breath. 

“Yes, we get it, Niall," Zayn answers for all of them, not that Louis or Harry ever would have. 

"Wasn’t too painful, was it?” Zayn asks when he gets up from the sofa. “I think we've done a standup job of breaking the ice, and now the rest is up to you two. We’re leaving now so you can talk, and whatever else that leads to. Oh, and in case you haven’t figured it out we aren’t having lunch, but there’s plenty of food in the fridge, and all the tea, beer, and wine you can drink,” he continues to an equally quiet Louis and Harry. “I have plans for the rest of the weekend so the place is yours. Just remember guest bedroom, change the sheets, and lock up when you leave.”

Liam and Niall stand to leave as well. Liam walks over to stand next to Zayn, and he puts an arm around his shoulders while Niall moves to give Harry and Louis a hug, which Harry may or may not return.

Louis does return Niall's hug, but he's mainly focused on glaring at his best friend and assistant over Niall's shoulder. At the same time he can't help noticing how striking Liam and Zayn look standing next to each other.

“Good luck, guys, I really hope everything works out,” Liam says sincerely, his brown eyes full of compassion.

“Yeah, I really hope you two can fix things,” Niall says, his face a mask of compassion before it transforms to a mask of mischievousness. “So, Zayn lunch is on me if you spill exactly where Harry’s face was during that noodle effect lesson thingy?”

\----

“Seems like they put a lot of effort in, yeah?” Harry asks, ending the silence that's stretched between them since their friends left.

“How much effort does it take to think of bad Uranus puns,” Louis asks sharply, but he immediately regrets it when Harry’s face falls.

“I'm going to go now,” Harry says, and he's almost on his feet before Louis grabs his hand.

“I’m sorry, Harry. Please stay,” he pleads.

Harry drops back down on the sofa because he can’t refuse Louis, but that doesn’t mean he has to make it easy for him. “Why Louis? Why I should stay?” Harry asks, pulling his hand from Louis' grasp.

“Because Saturn is the smallest planet in the universe, it only has two moons, and one day on it equals twenty nine earth years,” Louis rushes, then bites his lip to keep from smiling when Harry frowns in confusion. He looks so adorable, and Louis would very much like to kiss the expression off of his face.

“What?”Harry asks, shaking his head like he just heard the most outlandish thing ever spoken out loud.

“I’ve been doing a little reading, and I’m sure that’s what I read,” Louis replies with impressive conviction.

Because they're the two largest planets in the solar system Harry was saving Jupiter and Saturn for Louis' last two lessons, but Louis did a little studying on his own, and before he messed up, he was planning on surprising Harry with his newfound knowledge. Knowledge he's twisting on purpose right now.

“Pretty sure that's not what you read,” Harry replies with equal conviction.

“Maybe it was twenty nine moons, and two days,” Louis tries again.

“It wasn’t,” Harry assures Louis.

“Well, there’s your first reason to stay. I can’t even get basic solar facts right, and just think how I'd fuck up the planet system if I tried to teach my future children about space,” Louis makes a mental note to thank Zayn for planting the idea when Harry smiles the smile that makes his heart forget it’s normal rhythm.

“Can’t have you fucking up the planet system, can we?” Harry echoes sarcastically. He's more than willing to play along, and his eyes are shining with so much happiness Louis is torn between crying and straddling him.

Straddling him sounds good. “No, we can’t,” Louis agrees before getting up and moving the few steps it takes to stand in front of Harry. He becomes bolder when Harry only traces his movements with attentive eyes.

“What're you doing?” Harry asks when Louis places a knee on the sofa.

“Giving you reason two,” Louis says matter of factly when he’s sitting on Harry’s thighs. “If I say I’m sorry, will you forgive me? If I say I can't live without you, will you give me life, and if I say I love you, will please you love me back?” he asks softly.

“Yes,” Harry answers simply, and Louis groans.

“You were supposed to say now that’s cheesy, and I would have said, seeing as you’re so fond of making those really corny Uranus jokes, I’m sure you of all people can appreciate my cheesiness.”

“Well, you looked so into it, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. Besides you know I really, really like cheesy,” Harry says, but Louis lays finger over his mouth before he can say anything else. “Shh,” he commands. “You have something right here,” he taps the bottom lip.

“What?” Harry unconsciously licks his lips.

“Reason three,” Louis whispers, replacing his finger with his mouth, and with no pretense of hesitation or resistance Harry moans Louis’ name before opening his mouth under the pressure.

The kiss is everything to Louis. All the heartache from the last week vanishes because he’s in Harry’s arms again and for several minutes he pours out his desperation and regret in the movement of his mouth and tongue. “I’m so sorry,” he rasps when they pull apart.

“Louis,” Harry moans, tortured by the pain he sees in the blue eyes he loves so much.

“They were right, Harry. Every word. I was so stupid for believing Ned, and I’m more sorry for still believing him when it didn’t make sense anymore. I fought tooth and nail not to love you, but it was a doomed fight from the beginning. It’s only been seven days. Seven fucking days, and I feel like all the air has been sucked out of me because I miss you much. I really need you to forgive me, and let me try to make this right,” Louis pleads unnecessarily because Harry's been putty in his hands since he asked him to stay. “I need you to give me another chance to wake up in your arms, and not fuck it up. I want to kiss you anytime I want without pretending it’s just a lead into sex because I really like kissing you. I want to learn more about your planets. Not just when we have sex. I want you to take me out on your balcony, and show me everything in that telescope you're so proud of. I know there has to be something green and beautiful in the solar system I can compare your eyes to. It was never just sex for me, and I'm sorry for every time I said it was because I'm in love with you. So unbelievably in love with you,” Louis inhales deeply, and before he can exhale Harry grabs his face, smashing their mouths together for a kiss that starts out frantic and hard until it turn tender and healing.

It stays that way until Harry pulls away. “Almost from the moment I first saw you I wanted you more than I've ever wanted anything or anyone. Even when you were frustrating the hell out of me. Even when you told me the real reason you hated me I still wanted you. I just needed to know you felt the same way. Our friends could tell me until they were blue in the face, but I needed to hear it from you. It's all I've ever needed," Harry says, wiping at the tear that falls down Louis' face. "I love you too, you know. Can't even begin to tell you how much."

"I'm sorry for being such an idiot," Louis apologizes.

"I guess I have to forgive you. It's not like I really have a choice seeing that you're desperately in need of a lesson on the elementary aspects of Saturn," Harry teases fondly.

“I think the sooner the better," Louis says huskily, grinding down on Harry’s lap. "Didn’t Zayn say something about a guest bedroom?"

“I need to ask you a question first,” Harry responds, but Louis is more fascinated with trailing kisses along Harry's jawline, and undoing the buttons on his shirt.

“It’s important, Louis,” Harry breathes when Louis moves to the other side of his face.

“What is it?” Louis asks, more out of politeness than interest.

“So, do you think I’ll be around to help you fuck up the planet system for those kids you're going to have one day?"

Louis stops breathing for all of one second, and then he laughs softly against Harry’s neck. “Right now, I’d say the odds are in your favor,” he finally concedes, and it’s enough for Harry.

He understands why Louis might think it’s too soon to look that far into the future. If Harry were sensible, he might think it's too soon as well, but he when has he ever displayed that particular attribute when it comes to Louis. Besides it has to be totally written in the stars. Or the planets as it were.

“I have a question for you too,” Louis says, intruding on Harry’s happy thoughts of picking out names for their future children./p>

“So how are we going to do this, Uranus or mine?” Louis asks smugly. Then he moans in embarrassment before burying his face against Harry's neck.

Harry laughs out loud, silently giving thanks before pulling Louis in for another kiss.

"Uranus sounds good."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! I hope it was as much fun to read as it was to write, and please forgive me for all the bad Uranus puns.xx


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